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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Bam Aquino: New law gives DepEd flexibility to determine approach to K-12 curriculum

Bam Aquino: New law gives DepEd flexibility to determine approach to K-12 curriculum

Published Aug 7, 2026 11:25 am

At A Glance

  • Senator Paolo "Bam" Aquino IV welcomed the new law that amended certain provisions of the Enhanced Basic Education Act, removing the mandatory requirement to use the spiral progression approach in the K to 12 curriculum.

       

Senator Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV welcomed the new law that amended certain provisions of the Enhanced Basic Education Act, removing the mandatory requirement to use the spiral progression approach in the K to 12 curriculum.

This after Republic Act No. 12322, which Aquino principally sponsored and co-authored as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, lapsed into law on Aug. 2.

RA 12322 specifically amends Section 5 of Republic Act No. 10533, or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, giving the Department of Education (DepEd) greater flexibility to adopt the teaching approach it deems most effective, subject to periodic review.

This marks Aquino's second education measure enacted in the 20th Congress, following the passage of Republic Act No. 12321, or the Last Mile and Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA) Schools Act.

“Under this law, the spiral progression approach will be removed to give DepEd the flexibility to choose the most effective teaching methods for our students,” Aquino said.

“This is a crucial step toward resolving the education crisis and will help improve proficiency and literacy in our schools,” he stressed.

Moreover, Aquino said the measure will help ensure students achieve the necessary mastery before advancing to the next grade level.

During his sponsorship speech on the measure, Aquino noted that his consultations with teachers showed that the mandatory implementation of the spiral progression methodology has made teaching and learning more difficult.

Even the Year One Report of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) found that the mandatory spiral progression approach posted practical difficulties for teachers in delivering the curriculum as intended which also affected how students build knowledge and skills effectively across grade levels.

According to the report, the framework also forced teachers to teach multiple discipline instead of specializing in their areas of expertise, particularly in Science and Mathematics, resulting in congested lessons and weaker mastery of foundational concepts.

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Bam Aquino K to 12 DepEd EDCOM 2
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