Philippines unveils new basic education curriculum

The Philippines’ Department of Education (DepEd) has launched a revised basic education curriculum.

Labelled 'MATATAG', the curriculum will be implemented in phases, from August 2024 to 2028. DepEd’s MATATAG Agenda aims to produce competent, job-ready, active, responsible and patriotic citizens.

The new K to 10 curriculum decongests the existing K to 12 curriculum by 70 per cent, by reducing the number of competencies, whilst focusing on the development of 'essential elements' from kindergarten to grade 10, including language, reading and literacy, mathematics, makabansa (patriotism), good manners and right conduct.

Upon full implementation of the new K to 10 curriculum, Filipino and English will be introduced later in grade 2, science in grade 3, and social studies, music, arts and physical education in grade 4. 'Mother Tongue' and humanities will be dropped as subjects.

The new curriculum gained 96 per cent approval among 4,843 respondents, including students, teachers, school owners, government agencies, private organisations, and non-government organisations.

What this means for the UK sector

The launch of the new K to 10 curriculum comes soon after Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo filed a bill with the House of Representatives to revamp the K to 12 basic education programme to a K+10+2.

While the new curriculum will not immediately impact the UK sector (implementation of the curriculum for grade 10 will only take place in school year 2027-2028), it could positively impact the development of students in the Philippines and raise learning outcomes, leading to a stronger pool of post-secondary students in the future.

The review of the curricula for grades 11 and 12, which is ongoing, will hold greater implications for the UK. We expect more details to be released in mid-2024.

A comprehensive assessment of the country’s education sector, due in 2025 courtesy of the Second Congressional Commission on Education, will likewise be informative.

In the meantime, the DepEd has assured that the rollout of the new K to 10 programme will be in conjunction with the continued implementation of K to 12. Barring any changes to the grade 11 and 12 curricula before 2028, the UK ENIC’s recently revised guidance that bachelor’s degrees from the Philippines awarded from 2022 onwards are considered comparable to a UK bachelor’s, should continue to hold.