The Department of Education is continuing consultations on the proposed shift to a trimester school calendar, following Malacañang’s directive to ensure extensive dialogues with stakeholders before any implementation.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara stated that consultations have started and are ongoing. He told The STAR, “We started (the consultations) and it is ongoing.” He added, “The feedback is very good.” Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the Palace supports calls for broad public consultation on the proposal.
The trimester system remains a proposal with no final decision made, according to DepEd. In a statement, the agency acknowledged concerns raised by legislators, teachers and stakeholders. “We take these views seriously as we acknowledge that structural reform and systemic issues, such as classroom shortage and teacher welfare, are not mutually exclusive,” DepEd said.
The proposed calendar for School Year 2026-2027 aims to divide the school year into three terms with longer instructional and enrichment blocks. This would allow uninterrupted lesson delivery, reduce teacher workload and improve the pacing of instruction. The 201 school days would run from early June to late March: the first trimester from June to September, the second from September to December and the third from January to March. Scheduled breaks between terms are intended to provide teachers with time for planning, assessment and other professional tasks.
Formal policy guidelines will be issued following consultations with teachers, school leaders and other education stakeholders.
Amid the consultations, the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) urged DepEd to ensure a thorough study of the proposed shift. TDC national chairman Benjo Basas said, “We recognize the need for reforms to improve learning conditions, but any proposal as significant as shifting to a trimester system must undergo genuine consultation with stakeholders, especially teachers, parents and learners and be backed by a comprehensive study before it is implemented or even publicly declared.” He stressed that teachers, who will face changes in workload, scheduling and classroom delivery, must be involved in policy discussions alongside parents and students who will also be affected. Basas added that teacher welfare should remain a top priority, noting that proposals to increase salaries – particularly the call for a P15,000 across-the-board increase – should be considered in congressional deliberations.
Sen. Bam Aquino, meanwhile, said DepEd already has the authority to implement the trimester system through an administrative order without the need for legislation. “I just want to clarify: they don’t need a law to change our school year. They can do it through an administrative order,” Aquino said in an interview. He stressed that before the proposal is implemented, diverse perspectives from teachers, parents and students should be heard to ensure smooth execution.