Following the Economy and Development Council's approval of a three-term school calendar for public schools starting School Year 2026-2027, private schools are not required to adopt it without new legislation, according to the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA). DepEd maintains the policy resulted from broad consultations.
COCOPEA managing director Joseph Noel Estrada, in a radio dzBB interview, emphasized that while some private schools already use a three-term system, mandating it universally would require a law. 'A one-size-fits-all policy should be studied carefully. If that’s the plan, a law is really necessary,' he said. Estrada highlighted differences between public schools—managed uniformly by DepEd across 47,000 institutions—and the diverse private sector, urging schools to consult stakeholders like students, parents, and communities. He noted private schools led the K-12 transition but changes must fit specific contexts. DepEd defended the policy as arising from multi-level consultations with teachers, school leaders, parents, learners, and private sector input. This follows the council's recent endorsement of the 201-day calendar to address disruptions like weather-related closures (53 of 180 days lost in SY 2023-2024 per EDCOM 2), improve teacher welfare, and streamline operations.