On August 10, 2023, the Department of Education (DepEd) launched the Matatag Curriculum, marking a new era in Philippine education. It promises to reduce daily schoolwork hours, increase student engagement and understanding, and prepare students for the future. The Matatag Curriculum will be implemented in phases starting in the 2024-2025 school year, following initial testing.

MATATAG Curriculum is a significant update to improve education across all grade levels from kindergarten to 10th grade. The curriculum aims to simplify the current K to 12 program. This new initiative focuses on important skills such as reading, math, and practical life knowledge. It is meant to help students in school and their future jobs and daily lives.

This change comes after the 2018 PISA results showed the Philippines ranked last in reading and near the bottom in math and science among 79 countries.

Matatag, which stands for “Make the curriculum relevant to produce job-ready, Active and responsible citizens; TAke steps to accelerate the delivery of basic education services and provision facilities; TAke good care of learners by promoting learner well-being, inclusiveness, and a positive learning environment; and Give support for teachers to teach better,” will be rolled out in phases: 

Kindergarten, Grades 1, 4, and 7 in the 2024-2025 school year; Grades 2, 5, and 8 in 2025-2026; Grades 3, 6, and 9 in 2026-2027; and Grade 10 in 2027-2028. This phased implementation will begin after a pilot program as outlined in DM 54, s. 2023.

Under the new curriculum, students will have two fewer hours of schoolwork each day. DepEd found that the old curriculum made students spend about 8 hours daily on schoolwork, causing stress and burnout. 

DepEd invests a lot in these training programs to ensure teachers can deliver the new content well. "Generally speaking, the first day of the pilot implementation of the MATATAG K to 10 Curriculum was met with positivity as learners, teachers, and schools were receptive to the new curriculum," said DepEd Undersecretary and spokesperson Michael Poa in a message to reporters via Viber.

Launching the Matatag Curriculum marks an important step in improving education in the Philippines. As the country works to boost academic performance and prepare students for the future, the support and cooperation of everyone involved will be key to making this plan succeed.