đź“·: ACT-NCR Union | FB
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT)-NCR Union views with critical concern the Department of Education’s announcement regarding public consultations for the revised Senior High School curriculum. While we welcome the opportunity for stakeholders to provide feedback, we must emphasize that meaningful consultation requires more than just a week-long online survey to address the fundamental issues plaguing our education system.
The streamlining of core subjects from 15 per semester to just 5 per year raises serious concerns about the comprehensive development of our students. While we recognize the need to address curriculum congestion, we are worried that this drastic reduction may compromise the holistic education our youth deserve. “Ang edukasyon ay hindi lamang tungkol sa pagpapasimple ng kurikulum, kundi sa pagtiyak na natututuhan ng ating mga mag-aaral ang mga kakayahan at kaalamang kailangan nila para sa isang makabuluhang buhay at para sa pag-unlad ng ating lipunan.”
We are particularly vigilant about the shift toward more “electives” and the clustering of subjects under the Academic and Tech-Voc categories. Our experience shows that such restructuring often aligns with neoliberal education policies that prioritize producing workers for the market rather than cultivating critical thinkers for society. The proposed “doorway option,” which allows students to take subjects from other strands, sounds promising in theory, but we question whether schools—especially those in underserved communities—will have the resources to genuinely offer this flexibility.
The consultation packet mentions a pilot implementation in SY 2025-2026 but fails to detail how teachers will be prepared for these changes. Once again, teachers are expected to shoulder the burden of curriculum revisions without adequate training, resources, or compensation. “Hilong-hilo na ang mga guro sa Senior High School. Marami sa kanila ang natanggal sa kolehiyo dahil sa pagbabawas ng General Education Curriculum noong kasagsagan ng K-to-12. Tapos ngayon, ito na naman—nangangambang walang subject na ituturo, at masaklap pa, maaaring mailipat sa Junior High School o mawalan ng trabaho.”
Any curriculum reform must prioritize teachers’ welfare as a central consideration. Ang kagalingan ng mga guro ay hindi dapat ituring na pangalawang isyu lamang. Teachers are already overworked, underpaid, and struggling with large class sizes, inadequate facilities, and excessive administrative tasks. Adding new curriculum demands without addressing these fundamental welfare issues is both unjust and counterproductive to quality education.
We demand that DepEd include concrete provisions for teacher support in this curriculum revision, including reduced teaching loads, appropriate compensation for additional preparation time, and comprehensive professional development. We call on DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara to extend the consultation period substantially beyond one week and to conduct face-to-face consultations with teachers, students, and communities nationwide. We also urge the secretary to first conduct a comprehensive review of the K-to-12 curriculum. The voices of classroom teachers, who will implement these changes, must be central to the revision process—not merely an afterthought.
ACT-NCR Union demands transparency on how these curriculum changes will be supported with appropriate funding for facilities, learning materials, and teacher training. Without these essential components, even the most well-designed curriculum will fail in implementation.
We remain committed to an education system that serves the Filipino people, not corporate interests or global market demands. Ang tunay na pagpapalakas ng kurikulum ay nagsisimula sa pagkilala sa pangangailangan ng ating mga mag-aaral, guro, at lipunan—hindi sa pagpapasunod sa dayuhang modelo ng edukasyon na hindi akma sa ating sariling konteksto.#
