A group of education workers on Saturday, Jan. 13, urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to stop its “experimental” MATATAG curriculum and instead focus on ensuring intensive and extensive consultation among stakeholders.

“Hindi na natuto ang DepEd. Pagpapatuloy lamang ito sa palpak na K to 12 curriculum ("The DepEd did not learn. It just continues with the failed K to 12 curriculum),” Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Chairperson Vladimer Quetua said in a statement. .

ACT said this following DepEd’s announcement that teachers will undergo training in preparation for the pilot implementation of the MATATAG curriculum next school year.

READ:

https://mb.com.ph/2024/1/11/it-s-never-their-fault-dep-ed-to-strengthen-efforts-for-teacher-training-development

The group slammed DepEd’s push for the rollout of the revised enhanced basic education curriculum noting that it lacked open, democratic, and genuine consultation with teachers and other education stakeholders.

ACT noted that the implementation of the revised curriculum for Kindergarten to Grade 10 will only “replicate the failures of the K to 12 program” and will impose “additional burdens on already overworked teachers.”

The group alleged DepEd did not conduct a “comprehensive assessment” of the breadth and depth of the learning crisis in the country. With this, ACT said teachers resort to their methods to determine whether children can read, write, or comprehend.

ACT also noted while there is the revision of the K to 12 curriculum, it did not even undergo “democratic consultation” with teachers and other crucial sector representatives such as unions.

“Palalalain lamang nito ang pabulusok na kalidad ng edukasyon at pabibigatin pa ang trabaho ng mga guro (This will only worsen the declining quality of education and further burden the work of teachers),” Quetua said.

‘Unaddressed’ basic education shortages

ACT pointed out that DepEd has “not even significantly resolved” shortages in classrooms, teachers, and teaching and learning materials but opted to push through with its curricular reforms.

“We reiterate that K to 12 is a big failure and no amount of revision will fix it,” Quetua said, noting that a “genuine consultation” with all stakeholders is needed.

He also stressed that any endeavors to improve education quality and address the learning crisis will “prove futile and counterproductive if the curriculum is not attuned to the learners' needs, if teachers’ welfare and crucial involvement in the curricular changes are overlooked, and if basic educational needs are not adequately met.”

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https://mb.com.ph/2023/9/9/piloting-the-matatag-curriculum