REFLECTION

PART II ORIENTATION OF TEACHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS ON THE

MATATAG CURRICULUM

In celebration of National Teachers Month with the theme “Together4Teachers,” the part
II of the orientation for Teacher Education Institutions on the Matatag Curriculum was held
today, September 17, 2024, at 9 AM. The orientation focused on the implications of the Matatag
Curriculum for Pre-Service Teacher Education.

The program commenced with an opening prayer, followed by the National Anthem. The
Vice Chairperson of the Teacher Education Council and Chairman of the Commission on Higher
Education, Dr. J Prospero “Popoy” E. De Vera III, delivered an inspiring message. He expressed
his heartfelt appreciation to all teachers, acknowledging their invaluable contributions in
imparting knowledge and shaping the minds of students. Dr. De Vera emphasized the critical role
teachers play in society and how their dedication and passion are instrumental in the success of
educational reforms.

The keynote speaker for the orientation was Dr. Runvi V. Manguerra, Executive Director
II, the Teacher Education Council Secretariat. Dr. Manguerra began his message by saying, “I’m
a Teacher,” and showed pictures of himself teaching, from his days as a student teacher to his
professional career. He shared news about the performance of Filipino students in international
assessments, revealing that the Philippines ranks second worst in reading and math skills among
Grade 5 students. Additionally, the PISA results indicate that the Philippine education system is 5
to 6 years behind, marking the country as the lowest among 58 countries in Math and Science in
global assessments. This news highlights the poor performance of Filipino learners. It is said that
learning poverty in the Philippines is linked to poor teaching quality, with teachers lacking
mastery in what they teach. According to the PISA 2022 report, Filipino students also rank
poorly in creative thinking. Therefore, as educators, we must emphasize creative thinking among
our students. This includes generating diverse ideas, creative ideas, and evaluating and
improving ideas. To develop our students’ creative thinking, we must first practice it ourselves so
that we can transfer these skills to our students. I believe that if teachers are creative, we can
produce and develop creative students. In response to the situation of Filipino learners, the
Department of Education launched the Matatag Curriculum to address these issues.

Matatag Curriculum aims to prioritize the mastery of literacy and numeracy skills among
learners while decongesting the existing curriculum to focus on foundational skills. There are
also learning principles provided first is learning is not possible in an overcrowded curriculum,
As teachers, we need to reduce the number of competencies we introduce to our students. By
focusing on fewer competencies, we can enhance the learning processed hi6h, allowing students
to concentrate on the most critical aspects of their education. The second is Learning
competencies must be age-appropriate**: It is essential to consider the age of our students when
determining the competencies to be taught. Ensuring that the competencies are suitable for their
age helps in making the learning process more effective and engaging.The third is Learning
starts from what learners already know and can do, The teaching and learning process should
begin with the existing knowledge and skills of the learners. By building on what they already
know, we can introduce new competencies more effectively. Understanding the basics and
foundations of all subject areas is crucial for addressing and solving complex problems as the
learning process continues. The last is Learning involves progression where more complex skills
are built on foundational skills. Developing a strong foundation in reading, numeracy, and
literacy is vital for students to tackle more complex problems as they advance to higher levels. It
is important for students to master these foundational skills to ensure their success in more
advanced learning stages. By adhering to these principles, we can create a more effective and
focused learning environment that addresses the needs of Filipino learners. The Department of
Education’s launch of the Matatag Curriculum is a step towards addressing these educational
challenges and improving the overall quality of education in the Philippines.

The 6 features of Matatag Curriculum are focus on foundational skills, decongested

curriculum, balanced cognitive demands, clearer articulation of 21 st century skills, reduce
learning areas and intensified values education and strengthened peace education. It is important
for us as pre-sevice teacher to know all these features so that we will be able to integrate this new
Matatag Curriculum in current Curriculum. The features of Matatag Curriculum focus on the
foundational skills, in current curriculum there 7 subject areas, mother tougue, Filipino, English,
Mathematics, Araling Panlipunan, Mapeh and Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao while in Matatag
Curriculum there sre only 5 subject areas the Language, Reading and Literacy, Mathematics,
Makabansa anf GMRC. In the new Curriculum there is a new subject which is the
MAKABANSA, this subject serves as foundation in molding an active students. It focuses in
developing and producing healthy, resilient and patriotic learners. This subject wants to develop
awareness and pride of the learners of his/her identity as well as his/her country’s history, arts
and culture because we all know that many students don’t know the history of the Philippines
they don’t even know who are the heroes in our country. Thís subject also give knowledge and
skills in fulfilling the learners duties as responsible citizens having the ability to contribute to
his/her community or country as a whole. The other features of Matatag Curriculum says that the
subject areas decrease learning competencies except in science and the students must be develop
22st century skills.

The implications of the Matatag Curriculum for pre-service teacher education are first
Readiness for the New Curriculum, As pre-service teachers, we must be prepared for the new
curriculum. This involves understanding its features, goals, and the rationale behind its
development. Being ready means we can effectively implement the curriculum and address any
challenges that may arise. Next is the Pre-Service Teacher Education needs to study the actual
contents and competencies of different learning areas in the Matatag Curriculum. As Pre-service
teacher education we needs to focus on studying the actual contents and competencies of
different learning areas in the Matatag Curriculum. As teachers, we should know how to unpack
competencies to easily develop the essential skills that learners need to acquire. This involves
breaking down complex competencies into manageable and teachable components. Reviewing
and Redesigning the Teacher Education Curriculum. There is a need to review and redesign the
teacher education curriculum to align with the Matatag Curriculum. This ensures that we the pre-
service teachers are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to teach the new
curriculum effectively. It also involves incorporating training on new teaching strategies and
assessment methods that align with the Matatag Curriculum’s focus on foundational skills and
21st-century competencies. By addressing these implications, we can better prepare to implement
the Matatag Curriculum and improve the quality of education for our students.

MA. VICTORIA SINCO

BSE-4B