Public schools across the Philippines officially opened the 2026-2027 academic year on Monday, June 8, initiating a significant shift to a three-term school calendar and a series of new policy reforms. The Department of Education (DepEd) expects a total enrollment of between 26 million and 28 million students across public and private institutions as the country attempts to address a long-standing learning crisis.
What is changing in the classroom?
The most prominent shift is the move from a traditional quarterly grading period to a mandatory three-term system for all public schools. While private schools may adopt the new calendar at their discretion, public schools must comply immediately. This transition was implemented without a prior pilot test. The first block of this new term focuses strictly on administrative tasks, including learner profiling, baseline assessments, and orientation sessions, with formal lessons expected to commence following these initial activities.
The DepEd has introduced a new grading system where students must now earn a raw score between 70 and 72.99 to achieve a passing grade of 75. Under the previous system, a raw score of 60 was sufficient to be transmuted to a 75.
Addressing the national learning crisis
These reforms follow a January 2026 report from the Second Congressional Commission on Education, which highlighted declining student proficiency. Data from the 2025-2026 school year shows that only 48% of learners are considered “independent” readers—those capable of comprehending grade-level material without assistance. Furthermore, a pilot assessment conducted in March revealed that most Grade 11 students struggle to understand grade-level texts.
Dina Ocampo, a professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman and former DepEd undersecretary, suggests that the success of these reforms hinges on the agency’s ability to help individual schools interpret their specific literacy data. She argues that the bureaucracy must move beyond broad mandates and assist schools in converting assessment results into programs tailored to their unique local contexts.
Budgetary and policy challenges
The government has allocated P1.34 trillion to the education sector for 2026, with P1.015 trillion designated for the DepEd. Part of this budget includes P65 billion intended for the construction of 24,000 new classrooms to help address a shortage that reached 165,000 in 2025. Additionally, the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program has been allotted nearly P9 billion.
Labor concerns have emerged alongside these changes. The Alliance of Concerned Teachers has questioned the compensation structure for educators, noting that teachers deemed “underloaded” were automatically assigned as ARAL tutors. While P1.96 billion is earmarked for external tutors, the union reports a lack of clarity regarding how internal staff will be compensated for remediation duties.
What happens next?
The coming months will likely see the full implementation of the Strengthened Senior High School Program and the rollout of the Matatag curriculum for Grades 3, 6, and 9. As the school year progresses, the effectiveness of the three-term calendar in protecting instructional time will be tested against the backdrop of the country’s learning recovery goals. If the new classroom construction projects proceed as planned—utilizing expanded partnerships with local government units—the systemic infrastructure gap may begin to narrow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the three-term calendar mandatory for all schools?
No. The shift is mandatory for public schools, but the new calendar is optional for private schools for the 2026-2027 school year.
Are students starting lessons on the first day of school?
No. The opening block is reserved for administrative processes, such as baseline assessments, learner profiling, and orientation sessions.
How is the government addressing the classroom shortage?
The DepEd has allocated P65 billion to build 24,000 new classrooms. Construction efforts have been expanded to include public-private partnerships and qualified local government units.
How will the shift to a three-term calendar impact your local school’s ability to manage instructional time this year?
