The Department of Education (DepEd) has defended its plan to shift to a three-term school calendar beginning School Year 2026–2027, following criticism from several teacher groups.
Among those raising concerns is the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines, which described the proposal as “superficial,” arguing that it does not address long-standing shortages in classrooms, teachers, and learning materials.
The group said the proposed reform could increase the workload of teachers, who would be required to revise curricula, testing systems, and teaching materials without what they described as sufficient preparation or support. They warned that the changes may place additional pressure on educators already managing existing resource gaps in schools.
In response, DepEd said the policy was developed through extensive consultations involving teachers, school leaders, students, parents, and other stakeholders from both public and private sectors. According to the agency, feedback was gathered through a nationwide orientation cascade designed to collect views from various education stakeholders.
DepEd added that the three-term calendar is part of a broader set of reforms intended to strengthen the education system. These include the construction of additional classrooms, expansion of school feeding programs, reinforcement of literacy interventions, and improvement of access to learning resources.
Despite the criticism, the agency said it remains open to feedback as the policy moves toward implementation. Officials emphasized that monitoring will continue throughout the rollout process to ensure the proper implementation of the new system.
The proposed shift to a three-term academic calendar marks a significant change in the structure of the Philippine school year, with education officials balancing reform goals against concerns raised by educators and advocacy groups.
