BY ASANGAN T.MADALE
PROF HALIMAH BALENTI-MACADAAG,JD, Elementary Principal of the Mindanao State University- Integrated Laboratory School (MSU-ILS) main campus joined & attended the October 3-6, 2023 4-day Initialization Conference on MATATG Curriculum held in Heritage Hotel in Manila sponsored by the Department of Education and Vice President of the Philippines Sara Duterte-Carpio, Prof.Nasif T. Macaslang.
It was learned that conference was in full capacity, through Philippine National University Research Center for Teacher Quality. This is in light of the mandate of the DepEd Secretary in institutionalizing MATATAG Curriculum in the Basic Education beginning next academic year.
The eye-opener of the lectures was Dr. John Pegg’s lecture, a renown Australian-Based speaker and Co-Director of Philippine National Research Center, who put emphasis on crafting learner-centered materials to be carried out in Grades 4 and Grades 7 in the following school year.
“ᴏɴᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɢʀᴀʙʙᴇᴅ ᴍʏ ᴇʏᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴅʀ. ᴘᴇɢɢ’ꜱ ᴛᴀʟᴋ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ ᴀᴛ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ʜᴇ ᴄʀʏꜱᴛᴀʟʟɪᴢᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴅᴇᴀ ᴏꜰ ᴛᴀꜱᴋ-ꜱʜɪꜰᴛɪɴɢ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴡᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴏɴʟʏ ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ᴀꜱ ᴍᴜʟᴛɪ-ᴛᴀꜱᴋɪɴɢ. ᴅʀ. ᴘᴇɢɢ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴄʟᴇᴀʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴀꜱᴋ-ꜱʜɪꜰᴛɪɴɢ ᴅᴏᴇꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴜꜱ ᴀɴʏ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ɪɴ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ʀᴀᴛʜᴇʀ, ɪᴛ ᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇꜱ ᴜꜱ ᴛᴏ ʟᴏꜱᴇ ꜱɪɢʜᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴏᴜʀ ᴊᴏʙ.“, said Prof. Macada-ag.
This said conference was well-participated by the various prestigious universities across the country such as Adamson University, Cebu Normal University, Dela Salle University, Far Easter University, Mindanao State University, University of the Philippines, Xavier University among others.
Prof. Halimah, moreover, couldn’t contain her immense feeling of fulfillment to have represented MSU-Integrated Laboratory School in the said conference as it [without a doubt] gives huge advantage to MSU-ILS particularly in preparing up-to-date learning materials addressing the new educational paradigm—MATATAG Curriculum.
The conference concluded with an expression of gratitude from the President of Philippine Normal University and an appeal to the participating SUCs and other institutions to join in fostering the learning materials for the MATATAG Curriculum.
Meantime, it could be recalled that the DepEd’s New Matatag Curriculum addressing the learning crisis in the Philippines came into birth on August 10, the Department of Education (DepEd) unveiled its innovative “Matatag” (Firm) currculum. This was the initiative emerges as a strategic response to the learning crisis in the Philippines. My research also revealed that among the key features of the “Matatag” Curriculum: Focus on Core Skills- The revamped curriculum emphasizes decongesting foundational subjects. This approach allows learners to channel their attention on vital literacy and numerical skills.Its implementation timeline is as follows: 2024-2025-Introduction to Kinder, grades 1,4, and 7.2025: Expansion to grades 2,5 and 8. 2026: Incorporation of grades 3,6, and 9: 2027:-Integration of grade 10, and by 2028,DepEd envisions a full-scale implementation across all levels. Notably, select schools will pioneer this curriculum, refining its facets for broader application. Why the Shift? Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte highlighted the concerning performance of Filipino learners in both national and international evaluations.
A study by the World Bank revealed a staggering 90% of learners grappling with age-appropriate texts. Sara emphasized the crux of the issue. An overloaded curriculum. Teachers and students alike found themselves overwhelmed with a plethora of subjects. This congestion compromises the mastery of essential skills, such as reading and basic arithmetic, Jocelyn Andaya, the DepEd curriculum director, mentioned a significant 70% reduction in the curriculum content.
