Angara: ‘Matatag’ curriculum to be revised based on teachers’ inputs

MANILA: The Matatag curriculum, which was crafted and implemented during Vice President Sara Duterte's time at the Department of Education (DepEd), will be amended based on the experience and inputs of teachers, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said Tuesday. 'Mayroon tayong inisyu na department order diyan setting for the curriculum pero marami na rin kaming komento na nari-receive diyan. So, magiging sensitibo naman tayo diyan sa mga comments (We have issued a department order on that, setting for the curriculum but we have also received many comments on that. So we will be sensitive to the comments),' Angara said in a Palace press briefing. The Matatag curriculum, or the revised basic education curriculum, was rolled out in kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 4, and Grade 7 this school year. It focuses on foundational subjects such as language, reading and literacy, mathematics, nationalism, and good manners and right conduct. The curriculum has two additional programs, the National Mathematics Program (NMP) a nd the National Reading Program (NRP), which are supposed to be done for four days for 30 minutes each. Next school year, the second phase of the Matatag curriculum will be rolled out in Grades 2, 3, 5, and 8. Angara said among the comments they received was the supposed compressed or overloaded and fast-paced teaching schedule. 'Minsan sabi nila, dikit-dikit masyado iyong subjects; masyadong mabilis iyong subject, 45 minutes. Some are suggesting six one-hour classes rather than eight 45-minute classes (Sometimes they say, the subjects are too compressed; the subject is too fast, 45 minutes. Some are suggesting six one-hour classes rather than eight 45-minute classes),' Angara said. 'So, we're studying these kasi it's not easy rin to match the teachers eh -medyo mahirap din iyong human resource aspect niya (because it's not easy to match the teachers either - the human resource aspect of him is also quite difficult)," he said. "But kami, nakikinig kami (for us, we will listen) and whatever the consensus is, we'll try to adapt the recommendations going forward, kung maganda iyong rekomendasyon (if the recommendation is good),' he added. Source: Philippines News Agency