MANILA — The Department of Education (DepEd) clarified that its plan to shift public schools to a trimester system is still a proposal and that no final decision has been made, following criticisms from teachers’ groups.

“We take these views seriously as we acknowledge that structural reform and systemic issues, such as classroom shortage and teacher welfare, are not mutually exclusive,” DepEd said in a statement.

The department added that it is “actively conducting consultations” and will continue engaging education officials and stakeholders “to ensure that all voices are heard and considered.”

“The intent of the proposal is to support broader reforms that simplify planning, improve the use of academic time, and reduce workload pressures on teachers,” DepEd said. The department emphasized that its proposals are “based on feedback from the field.”

What DepEd proposed

On February 13, Education Secretary Sonny Angara announced that DepEd is considering a shift from the current four-quarter school calendar to a trimester setup for School Year 2026-2027. Under the plan, the 201 school days would be divided into three terms: June to September, September to December, and January to March.

Angara, quoted in the DepEd statement, said the change aims to allow longer uninterrupted learning periods, improve pacing between lessons, and reduce the administrative burden on teachers. He cited findings from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), which highlighted declines in student proficiency across all grade levels.

DepEd explained that instructional time is often lost to mandatory observances and administrative tasks. The proposed trimester system would integrate these activities into classroom lessons rather than suspending instruction for separate programs.

“For example, national and cultural celebrations can be incorporated into reading materials, writing exercises, science discussions, and project-based learning. In this way, students learn about important topics while regular classes continue. Shorter in-class reflection activities, thematic discussions, or curriculum-linked projects can also be conducted instead of whole-day events that suspend academic instruction,” DepEd said.

Criticism from teachers

The proposal drew sharp reactions from teachers’ organizations. The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) said educators and students are “not lab rats” and questioned whether the shift is backed by any study.

The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition also expressed concern, noting that DepEd should have consulted teachers before publicly announcing the plan.

Sen. Bam Aquino, chair of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, cautioned against a rushed implementation and called for a Senate hearing on the proposal.

Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said Malacañang supports broader public consultations on the proposed change.

The trimester proposal follows the release of EDCOM 2’s final report in January, which highlighted foundational gaps in student learning. Using DepEd data from 2023 to 2025, the commission found student proficiency falls from 30.5% in Grade 3 to just 0.47% by Grade 12, meaning only four out of every 1,000 senior high school students have mastered basic competencies. The decline was attributed to students failing to acquire foundational skills early, with nearly half of students not reading at grade level by the end of Grade 3.