The Department of Education (DepEd) ordered on Friday, September 8, the implementation of pilot testing of the K–10, or MATATAG, curriculum in selected schools in seven regions to determine the challenges and gaps before it is implemented in the school year 2024–2025.
In a memorandum order issued, DepEd said the pilot schools were chosen to ensure a varied representation of public elementary and secondary schools in the National Capital Region, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, with enrollment sizes defined as small, medium, and large.
According to DepEd Memorandum No. 054, the MATATAG Curriculum will begin with selected schools in Regions 1, 2, 6, 12, the Cordillera Administrative Area (CAR), the CARAGA area, and the NCR in the school year 2023-2024, with other regions participating as needed.
In order to meet the commitment outlined in the MATATAG Agenda, DepEd adopted DO No. 013, or the Adoption of the National Learning Recovery Program (NLRP) in which the revised curriculum has the following features:
- congested curriculum
- focus on foundational skills
- balanced cognitive demands
- clearer articulation of 21st-century skills
- reduced learning areas
- intensified values education and peace education
- On a par with international standards
The main objective of the pilot implementation is to gain valuable insights that will inform the execution of the MATATAG Curriculum on a larger scale.
It shall:
- Determine the support needed by teachers and school leaders to effectively implement the MATATAG Curriculum.
- identify challenges, issues, or gaps that may arise in order to address them appropriately.
Meanwhile, the MATATAG Agenda was launched as DepEd’s new direction towards the improvement of the quality of basic education in the Philippines.
