Trimester? Semester? Greater than the system, DepEd urged to make sure 180 faculty days

Because the Division of Training eyes a three-term educational calendar, stakeholders put emphasis on prioritizing high quality tutorial time

MANILA, Philippines – To make up for studying time usually misplaced as a result of disasters, the Division of Training (DepEd) was requested to contemplate making a contingency plan to increase the college calendar till it reaches the minimal prescribed variety of 180 studying days.

Throughout the Senate listening to on the DepEd’s proposed three-term faculty 12 months construction – beforehand known as the trimester system – on Tuesday, March 3, Senator Bam Aquino careworn the necessity to meet the 180-day minimal, even when this is able to imply stretching the college 12 months for every week or two.

Aquino, who chairs the Senate primary training committee, mentioned: “Kung ang tanong, days of instruction or break, I would like that we’ve days of instruction… What if there’s a contingency na hindi tayo magtatapos hanggang makuha ng mga bata ang days [required to attain] proficiency?”

(If the query is both days of instruction or break, I would like that we’ve days of instruction. What if there’s a contingency the place we proceed education till the scholars get the times required to realize proficiency?)

The DepEd’s proposed educational calendar starting faculty 12 months (SY) 2026-2027 has a complete of 201 class days, divided into three block varieties specifying their function.

The opening block, or the primary 5 days, can be meant for a smooth transition into the college 12 months, together with remedial courses if wanted. Subsequent is the academic block, which might be devoted to instructing and studying time. Lastly, the end-of-term block can be a window for wellness breaks, faculty actions, or celebrations.

However Aquino identified that class suspensions are frequent every year, resulting in fewer faculty days.

Karol Mark Yee, government director of the Second Congressional Fee on Training (EDCOM 2), famous throughout the listening to that in SY 2023-2024, 53 out of 180 days have been misplaced — majority as a result of calamities.

EDCOM 2 additionally beforehand flagged the numerous legislated actions that “crowd an already shortened faculty 12 months” and contribute to college students’ declining proficiency.

Aquino careworn that the objective is for college kids to achieve the required stage of proficiency earlier than they’re allowed to progress to the subsequent grade stage.

“Nagpatong-patong ‘yung mga problema natin eh…. Nama-mass promote sila, hindi pa naman sila handa,” the senator mentioned. (Our issues pile up. College students are mass promoted regardless that they’re not but prepared.)

Extending the college 12 months into the primary couple of weeks of April, nevertheless, additionally means the DepEd would want to seek out options to excessive warmth — one other drawback altogether.

Lecturers’ Dignity Coalition nationwide chairperson Benjo Basas additionally raised the difficulty of seemingly arbitrary class suspensions by some native authorities items. Basas didn’t specify any LGU or any native official, however in 2025, Laguna Governor Sol Aragones drew flak for suspending face-to-face courses for 2 weeks over a supposed earthquake risk. Earthquakes can’t be predicted.

Semestral setup?

Greater than altering the educational calendar, College of the Philippines Diliman professor Lizamarie Olegario mentioned that “what issues extra are the circumstances contained in the calendar: how instruction is paced, how evaluation is designed, how suggestions is given, how remediation is supplied, how prepared academics are, and whether or not tutorial time is really protected.”

Olegario, who focuses on instructional psychology, urged that the DepEd contemplate phased pilot testing of a semestral setup as an alternative.

“A semestral construction is extra prone to help lesson continuity, deeper understanding, and smoother implementation. In contrast, the present quarterly association tends to fragment studying and enhance administrative resets, whereas a trimester shift, if poorly carried out, might introduce main disruptions throughout curriculum pacing, evaluation schedules, supplies, reporting programs, and faculty operations,” she defined.

In response, Training Assistant Secretary Jerome Buenviaje mentioned a three-term schedule would permit for a smoother transition per time period, in contrast to, for instance, how the third quarter is split between December and January within the present calendar.

All agreed throughout the Senate listening to that the proposed calendar change wouldn’t deal with long-standing points within the training sector, reminiscent of larger pay and lowering administrative load for academics, college students’ lack of proficiency, mass promotion, and poor amenities, amongst others.

“Structural ‘yung problema natin. ‘Di naman ito mare-resolve ng easy adjustments,” Basas mentioned. (Our drawback is structural. It could actually’t be resolved with easy adjustments.)

The DepEd is ready to carry regional consultations within the second week of March to refine the three-term faculty 12 months plan. – Rappler.com