Push Admin

DepEd launches adjusted K to 10 curriculum with 'mother tongue' no longer a separate subject

Article (news)

Joyce Balancio, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A student leaves after attending a recognition day activity at the Sta. Ana Elementary School in Manila on July 5, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN news/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/08/10/20230705-sta-ana-recognition-day-jc1691.jpg"/><figcaption>A student leaves after attending a recognition day activity at the Sta. Ana Elementary School in Manila on July 5, 2023.<em> Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN news/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday launched the adjusted K to 10 curriculum dubbed as the “Matatag Curriculum” after two years of thorough review.</p><p>Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte in an event in Pasay City noted that the review started during her predecessor, former Secretary Leonor Briones, after finding out the “alarming poor performance learners in national and international assessments.”</p><p>“The curriculum required instructors to teach an excessive number of learning competencies with very limited time available for instruction. Both learners and teachers are overburdened with lessons and other school tasks and activities. The result was devastating for our learners,” Duterte said.</p><p>“It compromised their mastery of fundamental skills such as reading and solving simple math problems,” she added.</p><p>With the new curriculum that will be taught to kindergarten to Grade 10, DepEd seeks to address issues in the previous system including the congestion of content.</p><p>DepEd Director IV Jocelyn Andaya of the Bureau of Curriculum Development said that 70 percent of the learning competencies of the current K to 10 curriculum have been taken out.</p><p>In the present system, there are the seven identified foundational skills or learning areas for students:</p><ul>	<li>mother tongue</li>	<li>Filipino</li>	<li>English</li>	<li>Mathematics </li>	<li>Araling Panlipunan</li>	<li>MAPEH</li>	<li>Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao</li></ul><p>Under the adjusted K to 10 curriculum, learning areas are reduced to only five:</p><ul>	<li>Language</li>	<li>Reading and Literacy</li>	<li>Mathematics</li>	<li>Makabansa</li>	<li>GMRC (Good Manners and Right Conduct)</li></ul><p>“There are competencies that repeat. There are competencies that are nice to know but not a ‘must to know’ that is why we aimed for essential learning competencies,” Andaya explained in a press conference.</p><p>“Ito iyong mga dadalhin ng mga bata na kahit tapos na siya sa pagaaral sa isang baitang ay dadalhin niya sa susunod na baitang. Hindi niya ito makakalimutan,” she added.</p><p>Andaya also explained that kindergarten learning will use “play-based approach” and formal subjects will only begin at grade 1.</p><p>Here are the subjects for each grade level:</p><ul>	<li>Grade 1: Language, Reading and Literacy, Mathematics, Makabansa, GMRC</li>	<li>Grade 2: Filipino, English, Mathematics, Makabansa, GMRC</li>	<li>Grade 3: Filipino, English, Mathematics, Makabansa, GMRC, Science</li>	<li>Grades 4-10: Filipino, English, Mathematics, Science, Araling Panlipunan, Technology and Livelihood Education, MAPEH, GMRC</li></ul><p>For grade 1 pupils, DepEd has given “flexibility” to teachers when it comes to the language to be taught to students.</p><p>“Ang gagamitin dito ay iyong lengwahe na alam ng bata, the language that the learners speak,” Andaya explained</p><p>DepEd also highlighted that “Mother tongue” will no longer be taught as a subject in all grade levels, and will only be used as a medium of instruction.</p><p>“Marami kasi tayong nakitang suliranin sa pagiimplement nito kung kaya pinagiisipan pa natin kung ano ang tamang paraan upang matuto pa rin ang mga bata sa kanyang mga asignatura,” Undersecretary for Curriculum and Teaching Gina Gonong explained</p><p>“Mother tongue as a subject is actually something that can be explained also or taken up in the languages and reading and literacy,” she added.</p><p>“The mother tongue as a subject has caused confusion sa teachers lalo na sa Luzon area,” she further explained.</p><p>There is also special emphasis on “Makabansa” learning areas across all levels which DepEd sees as an important tool to teach students on Filipino identity and nationalism.</p><p>“Ang gagamiting pagunawa ng mga bata, halimbawa sa usapin ng pagkilala sa sarili at kolektibong pagkilala sa kanyang lipunan at kultura ay gagamit ng kaisipan at ideya na appreciation sa arts, music, PE at health, Rowell Paderna, focal person for the ‘Makabansa learning area’ explained.</p><p>Aside from incorporating “clearer articulation of 21st-century skills” needed by students, Vice President Duterto also made sure that there are competencies that will teach students to be “peace-loving” individuals.</p><p>“The new K to 10 curriculum will integrate peace competencies — highlighting the promotion of non-violent actions and the development of conflict-resolution skills in learners. For after all, there is security, there is peace,” she said.</p><p>While the adjust curriculum decongests the learning competencies, DepEd said the class hours will remain the same.</p><p>The adjusted K to 10 curriculum will be piloted this upcoming school year 2023-2024 and DepEd is still in the process of identifying the particular grade levels and schools that will use it.</p><p>Formal implementation will be done by phases until 2028:</p><div><strong>SY 2024-2025</strong></div><ul>	<li>Kinder</li>	<li>Grade 1</li>	<li>Grade 4</li>	<li>Grade 7</li></ul><div><strong>SY 2025-2026</strong></div><ul>	<li>Grade 2 </li>	<li>Grade 5</li>	<li>Grade 8</li></ul><div><strong>SY 2026-2027</strong></div><ul>	<li>Grade 3</li>	<li>Grade 6</li>	<li>Grade 9</li></ul><div><strong>SY 2027-2028</strong></div><ul>	<li>Grade 10</li></ul><p>DepEd is also currently reviewing the curriculum for Grades 11 and 12 and is eyeing to complete it until next year.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/17/22/deped-to-remove-mother-tongue-as-subject">DepEd: Mother tongue to be removed as subject, retained as medium of instruction</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/03/23/gatchalian-asks-deped-to-come-up-with-plan-on-mother-tongue-implementation">Amid lack of study in 10 years, Gatchalian asks DepEd to come up with plan on mother tongue implementation</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2695929" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday launched the adjusted K to 10 curriculum dubbed as the “Matatag Curriculum” after two years of thorough review.

DepEd launches adjusted K to 10 curriculum with 'mother tongue' no longer a separate subject

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

News

DepEd launches adjusted K to 10 curriculum with 'mother tongue' no longer a separate subject

Joyce Balancio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 10, 2023 07:40 PM PHT

|

Updated Aug 15, 2023 10:44 AM PHT

Read More:

DepEd

Department of Education

Matatag Curriculum

mother tongue

Sara Duterte

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.