MATATAG. Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte poses for a photo with Malabon City Schools Division staff and other local officials during the 424th Anniversary of Malabon City on May 21, 2023. The schools division on Wednesday (Oct. 18) shared with senators how their teachers learned new approaches from the Department of Education’s MATATAG Curriculum. (Photo courtesy of Malabon City SDO FB Page)
MANILA – The City Schools Division of Malabon on Wednesday shared with senators how their teachers learned new approaches from the Department of Education's (DepEd) MATATAG Curriculum.
Five schools in Malabon City were chosen to be included out of the 35 schools in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Visayas, Soccsksargen, Caraga, Cordillera Administrative Region and the National Capital Region to pilot test the new basic education curriculum which started last Sept. 25.
During the public hearing conducted by the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Dr. Cecille Carandang, Superintendent of the Malabon City Schools Division, said in the past four weeks, the MATATAG Curriculum helped their teachers to collaborate and formulate ideas on how to efficiently push all their learners in mastering various competencies.
"Sa halip na yung isang teacher, siya na ang bahala sa lahat ng pagtuturo niya, ngayon nagiging collaborative, nagtutulong-tulong na sila. Kung ano yung nangyari last week, anong yung naging problema, pinag-uusapan nila yun. Kung may mga lessons or mga activity sheets na hindi natapos, papaano ang gagawin nilang approach (Instead of a teacher being left alone to decide on how to teach, it became collaborative with teachers helping each other. They will talk about what happened and other problems encountered the previous week. If there are unfinished lessons or activity sheets, they can plan their approach)," Carandang said.
She also cited the technical assistance being provided by the DepEd Central Office which capacitates and boosts the confidence of the mentors.
Launched last Aug. 10, the MATATAG Curriculum seeks to decongest the current K to 12 Curriculum by reducing the number of competencies to focus more on the foundational skills such as literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional skills of the learners.
Carandang attested that the decongestion was felt in their schools citing their Grade 1 learners who are now being given more time to understand their lessons.
DepEd's Bureau of Curriculum Development Director Jocelyn Andaya told the committee that the agency intends to assess the pilot testing of the MATATAG Curriculum after the end of the school year through an examination to be conducted by Bureau of Education Assessment.
The MATATAG Curriculum pilot testing will have its first quarter evaluation later this month.
Its phased nationwide implementation will start next School Year (SY) 2024-2025 for Kindergarten, Grades 1, 4, and 7; Grades 2, 5, and 8 on SY 2025-2026; Grades 3, 6, and 9 on SY 2026-2027; and Grade 10 on SY 2027-2028.
Under the leadership of Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte, the new curriculum was introduced aiming to address educational challenges by prioritizing the mastery of literacy and numeracy skills among learners.
It will also put emphasis on five important skills: language, reading and literacy, mathematics, makabansa (nationalism), and good manners and right conduct. (PNA)
