Upon the request of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) and the Coordinating Council for Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA), Saint Louis University represented the private schools of CEAP and COCOPEA during the Senate Public Hearing of the Committee on Basic Education held last 18 October 2023, at the Philippine Senate in Pasay City. Presided by Hon. Sherwin Gatchalian and Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, the said hearing was held to discuss the implementation of the MATATAG Curriculum of the Department of Education.
Resource persons from SLU– Dr. Joselito C. Gutierrez, Executive Assistant to the President, Dr. Felina P. Espique, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Ms. Athena Grace Espino, from Basic Education Schools– discussed a consolidated position paper from the AdHoc Group Meeting of CEAP regarding the implementation of the MATATAG Curriculum.
The CEAP and COCOPEA Ad hoc Group noted the highlights and comments on the MATATAG Curriculum, specifically the following:
- The competencies of the curriculum promote critical thinking and show evidence of clearer articulation of the 21st Century Skills.
- There is a focus on Foundational Skills.
- The alignment between Performance and Content Standards was clarified.
Meanwhile, the Group suggested a number of points, to wit:
- The subjects Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) for public schools and Christian Life Education (CLE) for private schools shall be considered complementary subjects.
- Empowering the private school sector to become a deliberate and strategic partner of the DepEd from the planning to the evaluation of the MATATAG Curriculum.
- Teachers must have a deeper understanding of how to unpack standards with assessment.
- Strengthening the Formative assessments before giving Summative assessments, stressing that there must be a clear assessment system and assessment calibration.
- A clear and seamless understanding of public and private schools that the MATATAG Curriculum Framework is imperative.
- Revisiting the requirements required of teachers, like lessening the administrative works of classroom teachers and consequently heightening their classroom engagement.
- Having the parents and the community must be involved in and should understand the content of the MATATAG Curriculum.
Earlier, Saint Louis University was also invited during the MATATAG Initialization Conference for the Learners’ Materials Development from 03 to 06 October 2023 at The Manila Heritage Hotel and the consultation for the Senior High School (SHS) Curriculum last 10-11 October 2023 at Cielito Hotel, Santa Rosa, Laguna.
SLU’s engagement in aforesaid activities is responsive to Strategic Goals 2 and 3 (Excellence and Quality in Catholic Education is Sustained and Amplified SLU-CICM’s Commitment to Society), CICM Advocacy on Justice, and UNSDGs 4, 16, and 17 (Quality Education, Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, and Partnerships for the Goals).
Through SLU’s participation in the Senate Public Hearing, the voice of private schools, most especially the small private schools, was heard and articulated, hence, SLU became the forerunner in advancing their sentiments and the probability of considering such in the policy-making of the MATATAG Curriculum agenda.
