This law applies to the Basic Education Sector.
Last Sunday, August 2, Republic Act (RA) No. 12322, which updated the provisions of the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, or RA No. 10533, lapsed into law.
This new measure grants the Department of Education (DepEd) greater flexibility in determining the most effective teaching methods for the basic education curriculum.
Under RA 10533, which established the K to 12 basic education program, concepts in subjects such as Science and Mathematics are designed to be revisited at different grade levels with increasing levels of difficulty.
The new law amended Section 5, paragraph (g) of the law that was passed in 2013 by deleting the statutory reference to “spiral progression.”
Under the new law’s Section 1, “The curriculum shall employ the approach deemed most effective by the DepEd to ensure mastery of knowledge and skills after each level.”
It also required a comprehensive curriculum review every five years to ensure its relevance and effectiveness, strengthening the power of the DepEd to manage, select, and organize appropriate teaching strategies.
By removing the requirement of spiral progression, RA 12322 now allows Science and Mathematics teachers to use mastery-based learning or other alternative methods.
Those will ensure that students fully understand the key concepts before moving on to the next grade level.
Meanwhile, all other core curriculum standards under RA 10533 will remain in place.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara welcomed the enactment of Republic Act No. 12322 ans said that while the agency already has administrative authority over the national curriculum, the broader provisions of the new law will open the door for new teaching and learning methods and strategies.
“The updated provision broadly provides policy flexibility, allowing us to maintain instructional approaches that are grounded in classroom evidence and field experience,” the official said.
The DepEd chief also clarified that any changes in instruction will be subject to thorough analysis, evidence, and practical considerations including the supply of textbooks and teacher training.
“This update is about maintaining the flexibility our curriculum experts and field officers need to address learning gaps. Our focus remains on stability in our schools and ensuring our teaching strategies directly improve learner outcomes,” Angara added.
Currently, the DepEd is drafting the corresponding Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), with the law expected to take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
