DepEd May go Back to One-Hour Subjects to Ease Load

The Philippines’ Department of Education (DepEd) plans to revert to one-hour class durations under a new curriculum to alleviate teachers’ workload. Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara announced this move in response to feedback that the current Matatag curriculum, which shortens class times to 45 minutes, has caused difficulties for teachers. The new order aims to provide flexibility by returning to six one-hour subjects per day. This change comes after criticism from educators and legislators who argue that the shorter periods are insufficient for effective teaching, particularly given teachers’ heavy workloads.