Marcos cites need to revise curriculum to address needs of Filipino students

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Monday highlighted the need to fix the country's curriculum to cater to the present educational needs of Filipino students.

Marcos was asked for his reaction on the launching of the revised Kindergarten to Grade 10 (K-10) curriculum of basic education.

"It’s very significant because here we are trying to, sinusubukan nating gawin... ayusin ito para maging mas bagay sa pangangailangan ng batang Pilipino," Marcos told reporters following the Brigada Eskwela 2023 event at Victorino Mapa High School in San Miguel, Manila.

(We are trying to fix this to match the educational needs of Filipino students.)

"Kasama na rin diyan, that includes all our efforts para pagandahin ang mga international score natin especially when it comes to STEM [Science-Technology-Engineering-and Mathematics strand] subjects. Also, binibigyan natin ng pagkakataon 'yung mga after 10th grade na mamili kung sila ay magbo-vocational, magte-technical training or itutuloy nila. So that's more or less the big system changes that we're doing," he added.

(It also includes our efforts to improve our international score especially when it comes to STEM subjects. Also, we allow students that after their 10th grade, they get to choose if they will obtain vocational studies, technical training, or they will continue their studies.)

The Department of Education said the phased implementation of the MATATAG K-10 curriculum would begin in School Year (SY) 2024-2025 through to SY 2027-2028.

Among the features of the recalibrated curriculum is the reduction in the number of subjects, with greater emphasis given on the development of Kinder to Grade 3 learners' foundational skills — such as literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional skills.

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte had said that the curriculum had to undergo revisions.

“Both teachers and learners were overburdened with lessons and other school tasks and activities. The result was devastating for our learners. It compromised their mastery of fundamental skills such as reading and solving simple math problems,” she earlier said.

“These issues, along with other existing factors and conditions, contributed to our learning losses,” she added. —KG, GMA Integrated News