The Department of Education (DepEd) officially introduced a proposal to transition the Philippine public basic education system to a trimestral calendar starting academic year 2026-2027.
201 school days will still be observed but it will be divided into three terms: June-September, September-December and January-March.
DepEd Undersecretary for Learning Systems Strand Carmela Oracion detailed the proposal during a House Committee on Basic Education and Culture hearing where officials presented the framework as part of a holistic school calendar reform.
However, DepEd prefers the designation “three-term school year” over a trimester system to prevent any confusion with the academic calendar used in higher education.
The agency seeks to call the structure a three term system to emphasize a shift away from the traditional quarter based grading periods, moving instead toward longer, more focused instructional blocks that divide the academic year into three distinct phases.
While the proposal was articulated through official statements and legislative briefings, the department has clarified that the plan is not yet final and remains subject to further deliberation and stakeholder consultation.
This proposed reform is intended to address the long standing issue of curriculum congestion and thelearning poverty crisis currently facing the country.
Under the existing curriculum, both teachers and students often struggle to cover the vast number of competencies required within a four quarter system, frequently resulting in a superficial understanding of core subjects.
By implementing a trimester system, DepEd aims to provide a holistic approach to teaching and learning where the primary goals are to deepen mastery of essential skills and reduce the academic pressure on learners.
The shift is seen as a necessary structural change to complement the Matatag Curriculum, ensuring that the school calendar supports pedagogical quality rather than merely fulfilling a set number of school days.
DepEd has indicated that the target implementation for this new system could begin as early as the next school year, provided that all administrative and logistical hurdles are cleared.
This change would alter the education system by reorganizing the school calendar into three terms of approximately fourteen to fifteen weeks each.
Each term would likely be followed by a short break, to distribute the workload and rest periods more evenly throughout the year.
The department is currently conducting consultations and technical working group meetings to finalize the grading system, the placement of national examinations, and the adjustment of teacher work hours to ensure a seamless transition from the old format.
For students, the transition to a trimester system is intended to facilitate a more relaxed learning pace and better retention of information by allowing for a focused approach to fewer competencies per term.
For educators, the adoption of a three term structure necessitates a restructuring of lesson plans and assessment methods to align with the revised duration of the instructional periods.
This shift requires personnel retraining and a comprehensive communication campaign to ensure that parents and local government units are informed of the mechanics and objectives of the new academic cycle.
