Teachers also reported a lack of training for the new curriculum, despite orders to adhere to MATATAG time allotments in class schedules. | Photo by ACT
Public school teachers in the country marked the start of the new school year with a protest in Manila, condemning the government for failing to address chronic problems in the educational system and the forced roll-out of the new MATATAG curriculum which is proving challenging to implement in classrooms.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines led the sunrise picket in Mendiola, symbolically displaying tattered umbrellas to highlight the state’s neglect, the impact of recent Typhoon Carina on an already strained education system and their protests against the K-10 curriculum which revised the previous K-12.
“The MATATAG curriculum is being rammed down our throats without evidence-based learning assessment, proper consultation, sufficient materials and adequate training,” said Vladimer Quetua, ACT chairperson.
ACT’s consultations with teachers revealed issues with integrating the National Reading Program and National Mathematics Program into the MATATAG curriculum, forcing class advisers and non-math teachers to teach subjects beyond their expertise.
This, they argue, compromises instruction quality and undermines learning recovery goals.
Teachers also reported a lack of training for the new curriculum, despite orders to adhere to MATATAG time allotments in class schedules.
They called for an immediate stop to the curriculum’s implementation and action on longstanding education problems.
“The government and DepEd must cease their relentless curriculum experiments. Our teachers and students are not test subjects for unfounded trials. We strongly demand an immediate stop to the MATATAG curriculum implementation, overhaul the curriculum, substantial increase in the education budget to 6% of GDP to address the extensive shortages, and just and decent compensation for our teachers and education workers,” Quetua added.
In a separate statement, the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) expressed hope for the new school year under newly appointed Education Secretary Sonny Angara.
The TDC acknowledged new policies aimed at addressing teachers’ welfare but stressed the need to resolve ongoing issues, including shortages in classrooms and facilities.
“Our teachers’ resilience, patience and perseverance supplement these shortages, exacerbated by various calamities that hit the country annually,” the TDC stated.
They urged the government to prioritize teacher welfare to improve the overall education system.
