It aims to limit the learning interruptions and improve outcomes.
On Monday, March 23, Malacañan Palace announced that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the adoption of the three-term school calendar proposal for public education institutions beginning School Year 2026–2027.
According to the government, the directive was issued upon the recommendation of the Economic and Development (ED) Council during the 8th meeting held last Thursday, March 19.
Under the plan, the current four-term structure will be streamlined into such model, with each term having dedicated instructional and assessment periods, to address the long-standing issue of compressed learning periods caused by class suspensions due to natural hazards and overlapping major events.
The first term will have 54 instructional days and a 10-day assessment period, including a five-day opening block. The second term will include 55 instructional days and a 10-day assessment period, while the third term will have 61 instructional days and a shorter six-day assessment period.
Education officials also noted the approved structure is expected to benefit learners by providing longer, uninterrupted instructional days.
Ultimately, that is seen to reduce lesson fragmentation and allow structured recovery periods to help improve the overall pacing of instruction.
For teachers, the shift would remove one full grading cycle, introduce dedicated consolidation periods, embed up to 32 hours of professional development, and provide scheduled wellness intervals to reduce recurring workload pressures, the officials furthered.
The Department of Education (DepEd) has said that the new academic calendar is targeted for implementation starting School Year 2026–2027.
“While the proposal has not undergone pilot testing, consultations have been conducted with various educational institutions prior to its presentation,” the Palace added.
PBBM then emphasized the importance of maintaining the mandated 180-day contact period for both teachers and students, even amid potential disruptions. He also instructed the DepEd to ensure that the proposed shorter school structure adequately supports struggling learners, aligns with the current semestral system in Senior High School, and prepares schools nationwide for full implementation.
Marcos also emphasized in the meeting the need to fast-track approvals for priority government projects alongside key sectoral reforms, which will strengthen the quality of education anx ensure resilience and continuity amid recurring disruptions.
