In preparation for the initial phase of implementing the "Matatag" curriculum in the upcoming academic year, the Department of Education (DepEd) will conduct training for teachers and school leaders from January to April. "Matatag" is a modified basic education curriculum within the K-12 program, spanning kindergarten through Grade 10, with the goal of producing competent, job-ready, active, responsible, and patriotic citizens. According to a memorandum signed by Education Undersecretaries Gina Gonong and Wilfredo Cabral, the training sessions are designed to ensure that teachers and school leaders possess a comprehensive understanding of the revised curriculum for kindergarten, Grades 1, 4, and 7.
The primary objective is to provide teachers and school leaders with the essential knowledge, skills, and competencies to effectively implement the new curriculum in the upcoming school year, as stated by the officials. According to the memorandum, the initial phase of preparation, scheduled from January 22 to January 26, will involve lead trainers, including directors of the National Educators Academy of the Philippines, chiefs, and training specialists. Subsequently, the training will be rolled out at the national, regional, and division levels. Teachers from kindergarten, Grades 1, 4, and 7 will commence a one-month school-based training on the new curriculum on March 4.
Before the training sessions, the Department of Education (DepEd) will conduct quality assurance and finalize the curriculum training resource package from January 8 to 19. To ensure the attendance of all relevant teachers, school heads were advised to employ strategies such as redistributing the workload of teachers from other grade levels not participating. Another option is scheduling a half-day training for Kindergarten, Grades 1, 4, and 7 teachers, totalling 40 hours, to minimize disruption to regular classes. For those with the means, school heads may also consider hiring substitute teachers or enlisting teacher applicants for voluntary service during the training period.
