Amending R.A. No. 10533 (Enhanced Basic Education Act)

TITS TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 25 JUL 14 A11:57 First Regular Session SENATE RECEIVED Un S. No. — Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda AN ACT ALLOWING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION THE FLEXIBILITY TO DETERMINE THE PEDAGOGICAL APPROACHES TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE BASIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 5 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10533, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "ENHANCED BASIC EDUCATION ACT OF 2013" EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 1, Article XIV of the 1987 Philippine Constitution mandates the State to

"protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all." This constitutional mandate compels the State not only to guarantee access to education but also to ensure its quality, relevance, and responsiveness to the needs of Filipino learners. Republic Act No. 10533, or the "Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013," sought to reform the Philippine education system by institutionalizing the K to 12 program and adopting pedagogical strategies such as the spiral progression approach. While the intent of spiral progression was to build cumulative learning across grade levels, its implementation has revealed serious challenges on the ground. Feedback from educators, curriculum experts, and program implementers has shown that the spiral progression approach, particularly in Science and English, poses significant hurdles to content mastery and instructional coherence. Teachers trained in specific subject areas find it difficult to effectively deliver competencies that abruptly shift focus each quarter. Furthermore, some competencies are repeated across grade

levels without meaningful progression, resulting in gaps in foundational knowledge and poor retention among learners. 1 The approach also fails to align seamlessly with the transitions from Junior to Senior High School and does not adequately support specialized programs such as those for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Moreover, the rigidity of a centralized pedagogical framework does not allow for sufficient localization or adaptation in contexts such as the Alternative Learning System (ALS) or Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd), where learner needs and community contexts vary greatly.? To address these systemic limitations, this proposed measure seeks to amend

Section 5 of R.A. No. 10533 to allow the Department of Education (DepEd) the

flexibility to determine the pedagogical approaches most suitable for the basic education curriculum. It further mandates the periodic review of the curriculum, at intervals not exceeding five years, to ensure its continued relevance and effectiveness in achieving national education goals. By providing DepEd with this flexibility, the bill empowers educators and local implementers to adopt context-sensitive and evidence-based teaching methods. It encourages the mastery of knowledge and skills by moving away from a one-size-fits- all approach and recognizing the complexity of teaching and learning, while equipping teachers with the tools and autonomy to deliver quality education tailored to the diverse realities of Filipino learners. In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this measure is earnestly sought. LOREN LEGARDA ' Second Congressional Commission on Education (2024). Miseducation: The failed system of Philippine education, EDCOM II Year One Report. Second Congressional Commission on Education. 2 tonal surval too Il Yes: Two Report. Congres), fine Pipfroundations: A matter of

TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 25 JUL 14 A11:57 First Regular Session SENATE RECEIVED BT: S. No. — Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda AN ACT ALLOWING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION THE FLEXIBILITY TO DETERMINE THE PEDAGOGICAL APPROACHES TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE BASIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 5 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10533, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "ENHANCED BASIC EDUCATION ACT OF 2013" Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Section 5 of Republic Act No. 10533, otherwise known as the

"Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013", is hereby amended to read as follows: "Section 5. Curriculum Development. - xxx "XXX "XXX "XXX "(a) XXX "(b) XXX "(c) XXX "(d) xxX "(e) XXX "(f) XXX "(g) The curriculum shall [use the spiral progression] EMPLOY THE approach DEEMED MOST EFFECTIVE BY THE DEPED to ensure mastery of knowledge and skills after each

level, PROVIDED, THAT THE CURRICULUM SHALL BE SUBJECT TO PERIODIC REVIEW OF NOT LESS THAN ONCE EVERY FIVE (5) YEARS, TO DETERMINE ITS RELEVANCE AND EFFECTIVENESS IN ACHIEVING THE EDUCATIONAL GOALS FOLLOWING A SYSTEMATIC CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PROCESS DETERMINED BY THE DEPED; and "(h) XXX

Sec. 2. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive

10 order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec. 3. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,