One of the "issues" discovered in the existing K to 10 curriculum was that it was "overloaded" with too many lessons or subjects.
Recognizing that necessary revisions to the curriculum are needed “avert further learning losses,” DepEd released the revised curriculum for Kindergarten to Grade 10 called the “MATATAG K to 10 Curriculum.”
To emphasize the development of foundational skills such as literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional skills among younger learners, the revised K to 10 curriculum cuts down the number of subjects in Grades 1 and 2 from seven to five.
While the pilot implementation starts this year, DepEd will implement, in phases, the MATATAG K to 10 curriculum beginning SY 2024-2025.
Understanding DepEd’s MATATAG K to 10 curriculum
Aug 12, 2023 02:00 PM
At a glance
After four years of “painstaking” review, the Department of Education (DepEd) formally launched this week the revised curriculum for Kindergarten to Grade 10.
Even before it was first rolled out in School Year 2012 - 2013, there have been calls to reconsider the implementation of the K to 12 Program mainly due to the additional years of schooling in basic education.
The clamor to review the K to 10 Program grew stronger over the years as Filipino learners continue to perform poorly --- both in national and international assessments as noted by DepEd.
Recognizing that necessary revisions to the curriculum are needed “avert further learning losses,” DepEd released the revised curriculum for Kindergarten to Junior High School (JHS) called the “MATATAG K to 10 Curriculum.”
The revised curriculum under the K to 12 Program will be formally implemented starting next school year.
New K to 10 curriculum to help improve learning outcomes
During the launch of the new curriculum, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte attributed learning losses among students to the “effectiveness” of the K to 10 curriculum.
“One of the issues discovered was that — the curriculum was overloaded with too many lessons or subjects,” Duterte said, pointing out that the curriculum required instructors to teach an “excessive number of learning competencies — with very limited time available for instruction.”
With teachers and learners “overburdened” with lessons and other school tasks and activities, Duterte said that their mastery of fundamental skills --- such as reading and solving simple math problems --- was compromised.
“These issues, along with other existing factors and conditions, contributed to our learning losses,” Duterte said. “And to avert further learning losses, the curriculum had to undergo necessary revisions,” she added.
The review, which started during the time of former DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones, aimed to evaluate the K to 12 program following its initial implementation.
Duterte noted that the revised K to 10 curriculum is a “significant leap” toward a better and more promising future for Filipino learners.
“It offers a glowing promise in our campaign to improve the country’s basic education as it brings to life our dreams and aspirations for our learners and our country,” she added.
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Highlights of the revised K to 10 curriculum
The main feature of the revised K to 10 curriculum is reducing the number of competencies --- making it a “leaner” version of the current curriculum.
“DepEd will give greater emphasis on the development of foundational skills such as literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional skills to our Kinder to Grade 3 learners,” Duterte said.
The revised K to 10 curriculum will also set the stage for the comeback of Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) as a learning area or a subject under the Republic Act (RA) 11476 or the GMRC and Values Education Act of 2020/
“The formation of our learners' values and the development of their characters will be intensified,” Duterte said.
The recalibrated curriculum, Duterte said, highlights the promotion of non-violent actions and the development of conflict-resolution skills in learners through the integration of peace competencies.
In a separate presentation, DepEd Bureau of Curriculum Development Director Jocelyn D. R. Andaya explained that the new K to 10 curriculum has seven important features.
Among the notable changes in the “less congested” K to 10 curriculum is that the learning areas in Grades 1 and 2 have been cut from seven to five.
The progression of subjects will be implemented in phases starting next school year, Andaya explained.
Recognizing there is a lot to be done before the rollout of the new K to 10 curriculum, Undersecretary for Curriculum and Teaching Gina Gonong said there will be a pilot implementation in select schools this year.
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https://mb.com.ph/2023/8/11/k-to-12-program-to-continue-dep-ed