Trimester system still a proposal; consultations ongoing—DepEd
By Jel Santos
Published Feb 17, 2026 01:10 pm
(MB FILE PHOTO)
The proposed shift to a trimester system remains under review and no final decision has been made, the Department of Education (DepEd) clarified on Tuesday, Feb. 17.
In an official statement, DepEd acknowledged the concerns raised by legislators, teachers, and other stakeholders regarding the proposal.
“We take these views seriously as we acknowledge that structural reform and systemic issues, such as classroom shortage and teacher welfare, are not mutually exclusive,” the agency stated.
DepEd stressed that the trimester system remains a proposal and is still subject to consultations.
“The trimester system remains a proposal, and no final decision has been made. DepEd is actively conducting consultations and will continue engaging education officials and stakeholders in the coming days to ensure that all voices are heard and considered,” it said.
According to the agency, the proposed shift seeks to support broader reforms within the education sector.
“The intent of the proposal is to support broader reforms that simplify planning, improve the use of academic time, and reduce workload pressures on teachers,” DepEd said.
As such, the education department assured stakeholders that refinements will be made based on feedback gathered during consultations.
“DepEd remains committed to refining the proposal based on feedback from the field. Our priority is that any reform must strengthen learning continuity while improving conditions for both learners and educators,” it added.
Recently, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines raised concerns over DepEd’s proposal, warning that the shift could widen existing learning gaps and expose students to an experimental scheduling setup without clear proof of better outcomes.
The teachers’ group argued that the proposed trimester setup overlooks deeper structural issues in the education system, such as classroom shortages, low wages for teachers, heavy administrative burdens, substandard textbooks, and hunger affecting learners.
Senator Bam Aquino, who heads the Senate Committee on Basic Education, earlier expressed his intention to initiate a Senate inquiry into DepEd’s proposal to implement a trimestral system for School Year 2026-2027.
On Feb. 13, DepEd formally announced its proposal to adopt a trimester system beginning School Year (SY) 2026–2027, aiming to improve curriculum implementation, ease teacher workload, and safeguard instructional time.