MATATAG: PRODUCING A STRENGTHENED EDUCATION SYSTEM
Imagine a world where every Filipino student can compete fairly with international students in terms of literacy and educational quality, where no one student remains at the tail-end of global assessments. Over the last four painstaking years of review, analysis, and contradicting opinions between advocates and critics about the MATATAG Curriculum, the Department of Education (DepEd) still seats in the spotlight for the implications and impact of its implementation of the revised curriculum for Kindergarten to Grade 10 (Hernando-Malipot, 2023).
The MATATAG curriculum was introduced in Pasay City on August 10, 2023, by the Vice President of the Philippines and Secretary of the DepEd, Inday Sara Duterte. MATATAG 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 learning, and positive learning environment; and, Give support for teachers to teach better.” It is a revised curriculum for kindergarten through grade 10 in the Philippines that will go into effect for the 2024–2025 school year.
Its main purpose is to address the issues with the current K–12 curriculum, such as its crowded content, misplaced prerequisite learning competencies, and imbalance in cognitive demand (Barcelona, 2023). While proponents argue that the implementation of the MATATAG curriculum produces and shapes students to be active and job-ready citizens, prepares them with a strong literacy and numeracy foundation, equips them with the necessary 21st-century skills, and improves the country’s basic education levels, critics contend that it loses the preparatory factor of the current curriculum, overloads it with too many lessons and subjects, disrupts the goal for a consistent learning continuity, and fails to account for nationalistic context. As such, the Matatag system curriculum should be implemented in schools in order to produce and shape active and job-ready citizens, prepare learners with a strong literacy and numeracy foundation, and to equip students with the necessary 21st-century skills
Although the MATATAG curriculum has its merits for being more decluttered and preparatory for its students, its implementation requires a longer time for preparation. The implementation of the MATATAG curriculum is reasonably recent, with kindergarten and the first, fourth, and seventh grades, respectively, to be revised this upcoming school year 2024–2025, as announced by DepED. Even if Jocelyn Andaya, DepED’s director for the Bureau of Curriculum Development, says that the production of learning materials would commence starting on January 2024, EDCOM Executive Director Karol Yee states that the only grade bracket that has learning resources to use in the lack of much newer ones would be the fifth and sixth grades, as of current circumstances (Nicholls, 2023). This indicates a pressing need for DepED to assess its strategies when procuring and producing learning materials.
Additionally, discrepancies in producing instructional materials- and maintaining high accuracy- have been prominent, especially in 2019 and 2020 if based on a fairly recent time within the ten-year range; poor utilization of the funds for producing these has also been flagged by the Commission on Audit (Marcelo, 2022). Namely, resources from grades six to twelve- especially in subjects such as English, Araling Panlipunan, Physical Education (PE), Technology & Livelihood Education (TLE), or Technical Vocational Livelihood (TVL) in senior high- have not been delivered (De La Fuente, 2022). However, according to Francis Cesar Bringas, DepEd’s Deputy Spokesperson and Assistant Secretary, there is a “support system” being established for finding and using the right resources and supervision from third-party researchers before the curriculum’s start in the national scope (Hernando-Malipot, 2023).
Secondly, the teaching continuity may be compromised significantly, and the teaching mastery will need significant intervention. Before fully considering a national rollout for the MATATAG curriculum, it is vital to put efforts in place to enhance the mastery of teachers and their practices, especially when transitioning from the prior curriculum’s system and subjects. It must also be noted that not only are the learning materials lacking, but Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian has cited Assessment, Curriculum, and Technology Research Center’s study, wherein the results have said that less than 31% of teachers in the Philippines can instruct the students on all curriculum competencies (Nicholls, 2023).
Notably, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT)- through Raymond Basilio, their secretary general- has also expressed how the implementation of the MATATAG curriculum should have involved a “genuine, democratic consultation” where the opinions of the stakeholders- teachers, students, and parents- would be taken into consideration (Rita, 2023). A primary concern in the MATATAG curriculum’s implementation is the level of familiarity on the part of the teachers, especially since the curriculum has decongested the subjects for the learners to take subjects of. It goes without saying that the learning process is made smoother by proper practice on the part of the instructors. However, based on analyses made by the World Bank, many criteria- such as a focus on content knowledge and opportunities to work with colleagues when instructing students- should be considered when improving the teaching personnel’s capability. Among many weaknesses, absenteeism and poor data-keeping practices have also worsened the issue, leaving only 15% of teachers in the Philippines to use practices with “medium-high” efficiency, for the highest in the World Bank’s statistics (Chi, 2023). In order to address this matter, DepEd’s Deputy Spokesperson and Assistant Secretary, Bringas, has mentioned the curriculum’s pilot implementation of conducting weekly “collaborative expertise sessions” wherein the teachers have the opportunity to exchange experiences and strategies amongst one another in this new learning system (Hernando-Malipot, 2023).
Lastly, the change in subjects for the MATATAG curriculum- most especially the shift from Mother Tongue-Based Multi-Lingual Education (MTB-MLE) to Language- will compromise the nationalistic context that learners are meant to engage with. Although the mother tongue- depending on the location- will remain as a medium of instruction, students tend to have it as one of the first languages that aid them in honing their literacy skills and their socio-linguistic context. It also provides the students with their first connection to their cultural and linguistic roots and a foundation for their language proficiency when acquiring a second language or more. It also heightens their self-esteem and allows them to partake in the learning process, which would be more evident in a subject that allows them to hone their fluency in their mother tongue (Rutu Foundation, 2022).
While MTB-MLE, as a subject, also has its own flaws, this can be mitigated by conducting thorough, robust studies alongside linguists, anthropologists, and other experts to assess further improvement of the subject, as well as utilizing prior studies done regarding it (Hernando-Malipot, 2023). Simply putting the mother tongue as a medium of instruction takes away the ample time that could have been spent developing numerous aspects like cultural identity and nurturement; in fact, similar sentiments have been expressed by Vladimer Quetua, the chairperson of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), toward similar subject merges such as the merge of Araling Panlipunan with subjects like Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health (MAPEH), particularly from Grade 1 to Grade 3 (Mateo, 2023). The merging of MTB-MLE into Language, however, alleviates the lack of adequate materials both on the side of the teachers and students and prevents difficulties- especially the lack of extensive vocabulary- as well (Alberto et al., 2016).
The implementation of the MATATAG curriculum in educational institutions is of paramount importance for enhancing the educational standing of the country and fostering the development of students into active and job-ready individuals. The MATATAG curriculum has been intentionally designed to provide a comprehensive and all-encompassing educational experience that goes beyond traditional academic fields. Through the implementation of this curriculum inside educational institutions, students may acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate their careers and personal pursuits effectively (Barcelonia, 2023). Furthermore, the MATATAG curriculum focuses considerable importance on not only achieving academic excellence but also fostering practical skills, enhancing critical thinking capabilities, and applying knowledge in real-life situations. According to a report by CNN Philippines in 2023, this particular approach ensures that students not only attain outstanding academic results but also develop the ability to tackle complex issues effectively, engage in innovative thinking, and adeptly navigate the constantly changing challenges of modern society.
Furthermore, the curriculum places emphasis on the development of one’s character and the instillation of values such as resilience, integrity, and a strong work ethic. According to Pulham (2018), students must acquire these traits in order to foster a sense of responsibility and ethics, which in turn empowers them to make positive contributions to society. In addition, the MATATAG curriculum exhibits compatibility with current worldwide educational trends that emphasize the development of skills alongside traditional academic teaching. Many educational systems around the world have adopted similar approaches, resulting in the development of graduates who possess not only academic competence but also practical skills and qualities necessary for success in professional environments (MALIPOT, 2023). Thus, the MATATAG curriculum places great emphasis on practical skills as a vital link between education and employment. By integrating practical training and emphasizing work ethic it enhances the learner’s employability, meeting the demand for both academic qualifications and practical abilities sought by employers globally. This curriculum aligns with global trends, empowering students to compete internationally by meeting recognized standards.
Moreover, the MATATAG curriculum presents a promising shift for the Philippines, offering a chance to rectify the existing educational shortcomings that have contributed to low literacy and numeracy rates. Despite past efforts to enhance the country’s education system, the Philippines ranks among the lowest in literacy and numeracy among low-income nations, with 91% of Filipino children grappling with learning poverty (World Bank, 2022). The MATATAG curriculum, succeeding the K12 system, emerges as a crucial step forward. Emphasizing foundational skills, it aims to bridge the gaps in reading, writing, and overall academic abilities backed by the understanding that early childhood is pivotal for cognitive development on the critical role of early years in shaping cognitive frameworks (Victoria State Government, 2022). Additionally, according to Francia (2023), the MATATAG curriculum not only maintains its focus on learning recovery and foundational skills but also reinforces them. This forward-thinking educational framework functions as a specialized platform where the curriculum explicitly emphasizes the improvement of numeracy and literacy.
Learning development is an important factor in building solid foundations of education for children. Not only will learning development help students and children have the ability to read basic texts and solve mathematical problems, but it also helps in improving their critical thinking skills as well as their problem-solving skills as they navigate their lives (Gamboa, 2023). By honing in on proficiency in these fundamental aspects, the MATATAG curriculum seeks to propel the Philippines toward improved educational standards and empower students for a brighter future. With its aim to focus on foundational skills, especially literacy, and numeracy, it allows for the improvement of the current curriculum that has failed to increase these aspects of educational mastery. The MATATAG curriculum not only seeks to change the current curriculum in regards to its content but also address its flaws and ensures that the learning experience of students is improved. Moving forward with the MATATAG curriculum opens up new opportunities in relation to our education system, thus making it essential for improvement.
Upon supporting the new curriculum, learners are equipped with the necessary 21st-century skills. Establishing an effective foundation for further education and overall learner development requires strengthening and successfully structuring the educational system. With the advancement of the current society, it is essential to incorporate advancement in schools in order to prepare students for their present needs. According to DepEd (2019), the language curriculum has been developed to give students the necessary competencies to be ready to succeed in 21st-century life since it includes enhancing their skills in communication, life and career, learning and innovation, information, media, and technology skills. The curriculum implements Project-Based Learning to give students the opportunities to work on real-life problems that address relevant issues (Pamintuan, 2023). This method greatly improves learning outcomes for students and has a beneficial impact on cognitive skills, emotional attitudes, and especially academic achievement (Zhang and Ma, 2023). As such, every student supported by the Indigenous Peoples Education Program, Madrasah Education Program, Special Needs Education, and Alternative Learning System will also use MATATAG as their foundational curriculum to cater to all the students’ needs by integrating Enrichment Programs. This includes sports, arts, music, and extracurricular activities that let learners develop their interests and talents (Senate of the Philippines, 2023). Thus, the MATATAG curriculum prepares students to effectively work in teams and deliver their ideas clearly, giving them the chance to engage in meaningful dialogue, build relationships, and contribute to collaborative environments, as it molds the students to become agents of change in the 21st century.
In conclusion, the adoption of the MATATAG Curriculum represents a pivotal step in improving ongoing issues in our education system. Implementing the Matatag curriculum in Philippine schools is crucial for addressing long-standing issues in the education system, particularly the low global rankings in literacy and numeracy. It not only helps produce and shape active and job-ready students, but it also prepares learners with a strong literacy and numeracy foundation while equipping them with 21st-century skills, ensuring their success in the future. With the current state of our education system, as well as the less-than-average ranking of our student’s ability to read and write as well as do the math, there is an immediate need for improvement in this regard. As such, support for the implementation of the Matatag Curriculum is necessary in order to achieve this.
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