Following the recent issuance of DepEd Order 009 detailing the 2026-2027 three-term school calendar, the Department of Education assured no added costs for parents and emphasized protecting instructional time. In a dzMM interview, DepEd OIC-Undersecretary for learning systems Carmela Oracion explained the shift from four quarters to three terms reorganizes the school year without increasing expenses.
Oracion detailed that each term features an instructional block for teaching and learning, followed by an end-of-term block. Extracurricular activities will be rescheduled, not eliminated, to prioritize lessons. “Extracurricular and co-curricular activities are also important... (but) the divided attention is always very problematic,” she said.
Despite assurances, the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition urged a pilot implementation and thorough study, per chairman Benjo Basas. The Alliance of Concerned Teachers echoed concerns over effectiveness given classroom and resource shortages.
Separately, DepEd highlighted summer remediation like ARAL pas summer pas summer to aid 3.7 million learners in closing learning gaps.
