Trimester? Semester? More than the system, DepEd urged to ensure 180 school days

2026-03-03 - 11:33

MANILA, Philippines – To make up for learning time often lost due to disasters, the Department of Education (DepEd) was asked to consider creating a contingency plan to extend the school calendar until it reaches the minimum prescribed number of 180 learning days. During the Senate hearing on the DepEd’s proposed three-term school year structure – previously referred to as the trimester system – on Tuesday, March 3, Senator Bam Aquino stressed the need to meet the 180-day minimum, even if this would mean stretching the school year for a week or two. Aquino, who chairs the Senate basic education committee, said: “Kung ang tanong, days of instruction or break, I would prefer that we have days of instruction... What if there’s a contingency na hindi tayo magtatapos hanggang makuha ng mga bata ang days [required to attain] proficiency?” (If the question is either days of instruction or break, I would prefer that we have days of instruction. What if there’s a contingency where we continue schooling until the students get the days required to attain proficiency?) The DepEd’s proposed academic calendar beginning school year (SY) 2026-2027 has a total of 201 class days, divided into three block types specifying their purpose. The opening block, or the first five days, would be intended for a soft transition into the school year, including remedial classes if needed. Next is the instructional block, which would be dedicated to teaching and learning time. Lastly, the end-of-term block would be a window for wellness breaks, school activities, or celebrations. YouTube video screenshot But Aquino pointed out that class suspensions are common each year, leading to fewer school days. Karol Mark Yee, executive director of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), noted during the hearing that in SY 2023-2024, 53 out of 180 days were lost — majority due to calamities. EDCOM 2 also previously flagged the many legislated activities that “crowd an already shortened school year” and contribute to students’ declining proficiency. Aquino stressed that the goal is for students to reach the required level of proficiency before they are allowed to progress to the next grade level. “Nagpatong-patong ‘yung mga problema natin eh.... Nama-mass promote sila, hindi pa naman sila handa,” the senator said. (Our problems pile up. Students are mass promoted even though they’re not yet ready.) Extending the school year into the first couple of weeks of April, however, also means the DepEd would need to find solutions to extreme heat — another problem altogether. Teachers’ Dignity Coalition national chairperson Benjo Basas also raised the issue of seemingly arbitrary class suspensions by some local government units. Basas did not specify any LGU or any local official, but in 2025, Laguna Governor Sol Aragones drew flak for suspending face-to-face classes for two weeks over a supposed earthquake threat. Earthquakes cannot be predicted. Semestral setup? More than changing the academic calendar, University of the Philippines Diliman professor Lizamarie Olegario said that “what matters more are the conditions inside the calendar: how instruction is paced, how assessment is designed, how feedback is given, how remediation is provided, how ready teachers are, and whether instructional time is truly protected.” Olegario, who specializes in educational psychology, suggested that the DepEd consider phased pilot testing of a semestral setup instead. “A semestral structure is more likely to support lesson continuity, deeper understanding, and smoother implementation. By contrast, the current quarterly arrangement tends to fragment learning and increase administrative resets, while a trimester shift, if poorly implemented, may introduce major disruptions across curriculum pacing, assessment schedules, materials, reporting systems, and school operations,” she explained. In response, Education Assistant Secretary Jerome Buenviaje said a three-term schedule would allow for a smoother transition per term, unlike, for example, how the third quarter is divided between December and January in the current calendar. All agreed during the Senate hearing that the proposed calendar change would not address long-standing issues in the education sector, such as higher pay and reducing administrative load for teachers, students’ lack of proficiency, mass promotion, and poor facilities, among others. “Structural ‘yung problema natin. ‘Di naman ito mare-resolve ng simple changes,” Basas said. (Our problem is structural. It can’t be resolved with simple changes.) The DepEd is set to hold regional consultations in the second week of March to refine the three-term school year plan. – Rappler.com