Teachers' group opposes implementation of Matatag K-10 curriculum

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines on Friday called on the Department of Education (DepEd) to stop the implementation of the new Matatag Kindergarten to Grade 10 (K-10) curriculum.

In a press conference, ACT secretary general Raymond Basilio said the new curriculum did not undergo a democratic and comprehensive consultation with stakeholders.

“Ang atin pong panawagan sa gobyerno itigil yung pagpapatupad nitong Matatag na ito. Umupo at magpatawag ng tunay na demokratikong konsultasyon, pakinggan ang boses ng mga magulang, estudyante, at mga guro,” he said.

(We are calling on the government to stop the implementation of Matatag. They should call for a genuine democratic consultation and hear the suggestions of parents, students, and teachers.)

“Upang matiyak natin na ang susunod na curriculum ay maayos at naaayon sa pangangailangan ng kabataang Pilipino at tutugon sa pangangailan ng ating lipunan at bansang Pilipinas,” he added.

(This is to ensure that the next curriculum will be orderly and meet the needs of Filipino youth and our country.)

For Basilio, the supposed failure of the K-12 curriculum program would happen again with Matatag due to DepEd’s "top-down approach" and decisions that he said only serve the business sector.

“Kailangan matuto tayo sa nangyari sa K-12. Matututo na tayo sa napakaraming curricular programs na pinapatupad ng iba't ibang presidente na nagdaan ngunit alam nating lahat ng ito ay pumalpak,” he said.

(We should learn from what happened with K-12 and other curricular programs under different presidents which all failed.)

GMA News Online has sought comment from the DepEd on ACT's opposition to the Matatag Curriculum, but it has yet to reply as of posting time.

K-10

Deped launched the K-10 curriculum on August 10, 2023. 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 .

One salient feature of the new K-10 curriculum is the introduction of a new learning competency called "Makabansa," which weaves skills in civics, arts and culture, history, and physical education and health.

Deped said that the pilot implementation of the K-10 curriculum in 20 schools will begin this month.

“We will be consolidating all the findings and the results of this pilot so that we implement nationwide for Kinder, Grades 1, 4 and 7 by 2024-2025. It’s a staggered implementation of the new curriculum because the curriculum is so designed that before you go to the next higher grade level, in each key stage you have to master the competencies in the lower grade level,” said DepEd deputy spokesperson Assistant Secretary Francis Bringas.

Other issues

Meanwhile, ACT chairperson Vladimer Quetua said schools lacked 224,981 sets of chairs and tables as well as 150,000 classrooms during the first week of the opening of classes.

There was also a shortage of 144,789 of teachers and 94,540 education support personnel in campuses, Quetua added.

ACT-National Capital Region union president Ruby Bernardo also questioned the order of the DepEd to remove all posters and decorations in classrooms, calling the move “irrational”.

She pointed out that students can have incidental learning through these charts.

“Isa itong manipestasyon talaga ang isang departamento isang ahensya particularly yung ating DepEd Secretary na walang alam sa edukasyon,” she said.

(This is a manifestation that our DepEd secretary does not have expertise on education.)

Vice President Sara Duterte is the current Education Secretary.

Bernardo also said that some teachers had already shelled out their own money to provide for the materials needed in classroom decorations during the Brigada Eskwela.

While teachers receive P5,000 from the government for school and cleaning materials, Bernado said that most educators spend around P10,000 for these based on their survey of 4,000 school personnel. —VAL, GMA Integrated News