The National Parents-Teachers Association has backed the Department of Education's proposed trimester scheme amid reservations from some groups. NPTA president Willy Rodriguez noted that the system is already in use in countries like Singapore, Japan, and Finland. DepEd is continuing consultations in line with Malacañang's directive for stakeholder dialogues.
The National Parents-Teachers Association (NPTA) expressed support for the Department of Education (DepEd)'s proposed shift to a trimester school calendar, despite some reservations from other groups. In an interview with dzMM, NPTA president Willy Rodriguez highlighted that the system is currently implemented in several countries. “For us at the NPTA, we fully support it because it is also being done in first world countries, such as Singapore, Japan and Finland and other countries. If they can do it, why can’t it be done in the Philippines?” Rodriguez said.
DepEd is proceeding with consultations on the proposal, following a directive from Malacañang to engage stakeholders extensively before any changes. Under the trimester plan, the school year would be divided into three quarters with longer terms of nearly 61 days each. “Under the proposed trimester, we will have three quarters and the days are longer, almost 61 days. The longer the term, the more opportunities for the teachers to have remedial classes, the easier it is for teachers and the easier it is for students,” Rodriguez added.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara reported that feedback from stakeholders has been “very good.” Rodriguez noted, “The teachers haven’t tried it, so they cannot say that it will not be effective.”
Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro stated that the Palace backs calls for broad public consultation. The proposal seeks to create longer instructional and enrichment blocks, enabling uninterrupted lesson delivery, reducing teacher workload, and enhancing the pacing of instruction.
For School Year 2026-2027, the 201 school days would span 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.
