by: Petronilo S. Estrada
Teacher 3, San Andres ES
District: Alaminos, SDO: Laguna
MANILA – Improving the quality of education is one of the pressing challenges facing newly-appointed Education Secretary Sonny Angara. – ABS-CBNnews.net
In the light of the implementation of the MATATAG Curriculum, public school teachers all over the country are now given the hope of having a more stress-free workload. This is despite the fact that in comparison to students from other nations, 15-year-old Filipino pupils performed worse in math, science, reading, and creative thinking, according to the results of the 2022 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).
Angara suggested setting up a task force whose goal would be to raise student performance on the 2025 PISA exam.In the July 24, 2024, post-SONA forum in Pasay City, it was announced that the department will now be creating some PISA-style tests and quizzes to administer to the kids on a regular basis. This is because DepEd has to track the students’ development in order to determine the interventions they are making. Ideally, DepEd would also have data at a more specific level, i.e., student level, so that they can truly track which students are adjusting well to the new educational initiatives being implemented.
In order to simplify the learning competencies taught to students in Kindergarten through Grade 10, DepEd is implementing the MATATAG curriculum or the adjustments made to it. Angara plans to make additional adjustments to the curriculum in order to prioritize science and reading in the classroom. This initiative will benefit educators from all over the country in the sense that the number of lessons to be delivered will drastically decrease. And this will mean for time for the teachers to better prepare for their lessons, as well as more time for themselves being that they are mere humans and not machines. Although the components of the lessons are bolder, easier access to technology will help the teachers in their preparations. Moreover, other ancillary tasks were lifted from the teachers’ shoulder as to lessen their work responsibilities. All these will make the teachers’ lives a little better compared to as it was before. This effort may seem as the department’s action in keeping the teachers’ health in check and considered.
All these changes are part of DepEd’s effort in making sure that no one related to their department will be left behind. Learners are not the sole priority of the said department, but even the mere educators as well; for undoubtedly, they are also an integral part of the country’s education system’s success.
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