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📥 Download Phil-IRI Form 1B STCRR: Unlocking the Power of Reading Data in Your Classroom 📚

Reading is more than decoding words—it's the gateway to lifelong learning. For teachers in the Philippines, the Phil-IRI Form 1B Screening Test Class Reading Record (STCRR) is more than a tool for evaluation; it's a classroom compass that directs instruction, identifies student needs, and supports strategic planning. In this blog, we explore how teachers can use the STCRR not just as a form, but as a transformative tool for shaping stronger reading programs.

📄 What is the Phil-IRI Form 1B STCRR? A Teacher’s Ally in Literacy Monitoring 🧠

The Phil-IRI Form 1B is part of the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI) developed by the Department of Education (DepEd). This particular form—the Screening Test Class Reading Record (STCRR)—functions as a class-level summary of student reading comprehension.

It records individual scores in literal, inferential, and critical comprehension, while also identifying those who need further testing. According to the DepEd's Phil-IRI Manual of Administration, students who score 14 or higher out of 20 in the screening test are considered proficient enough not to require additional reading diagnosis.

The STCRR is not just a compliance document—it’s an essential element in building effective, data-informed teaching in the classroom.

🧑‍🏫 Why Teachers Should Care: The STCRR as a Game-Changer in Reading Instruction 🎯

Many teachers focus heavily on lesson delivery but often lack real-time, evidence-based insights about their students' reading comprehension. Here's where the STCRR comes in:

🔍 Early Detection of At-Risk Readers

The STCRR immediately flags learners scoring below 14, allowing teachers to act before comprehension gaps widen. This proactive step can prevent long-term academic setbacks.

🤝 Improving Group-Level Interventions

With a full view of the class’s strengths and weaknesses, teachers can plan more targeted group reading lessons. For instance, if most students struggle with inferential thinking, the teacher can focus the next reading module on that specific skill.

⏳ Streamlined Instructional Planning

Since students who meet the benchmark don’t proceed to the full PHIL-IRI, educators save valuable time. This efficient system allows more energy to be directed toward students who genuinely need intervention.

CLICK HERE to download Phil-IRI Group Screening Test Form

📈 Making the Most of STCRR Data: What Teachers Should Do Next 📝

Once teachers complete the STCRR, the real work begins: analyzing the data and acting on it. Instead of moving forward with a one-size-fits-all approach, educators should:

  • Adjust their reading lessons based on comprehension types where students scored low.

  • Form flexible reading groups to allow peer learning and focused instruction.

  • Use the data in quarterly reviews to monitor progress and adjust teaching goals.

As emphasized by DepEd’s Bureau of Learning Delivery, using Phil-IRI data should be a continuous process, not a one-time event. This mindset turns assessment into action.

🏫 Field Insight: Empowering Literacy Through STCRR

Mrs. Ramos, a Grade 7 teacher in Nueva Ecija, shares that after her students took the Phil-IRI screening, she used the STCRR to isolate which skills needed reinforcement. She discovered that while her class excelled in literal recall, inferential thinking was weak across the board. With that, she shifted her strategy: integrating more “why” and “how” questions into class discussions.

Her class’s reading comprehension scores improved by the next quarter—not just on paper, but in how students engaged with texts. This is the difference the STCRR can make when used intentionally.

👩‍🏫 Empowering Filipino Experts: A New Era in Teaching Home Economics 🇵🇭

Republic Act No. 11168, also known as “An Act Allowing Home Economics Graduates to Teach Home Economics Subjects and Home Economics-Related Technical-Vocational Subjects”, marks a revolutionary shift in Philippine education. This law paves the way for non-education graduates with specialization in home economics and allied fields to become part of the teaching force, filling the gap left by the shortage of licensed teachers in specific subject areas. But beyond the surface, this legislation brings deeper implications for technical-vocational education, lifelong learning, and skills development.

🎓 What Makes RA 11168 a Game-Changer in Philippine Education?

At its heart, RA 11168 isn’t just about hiring more teachers — it’s about recognizing specialized knowledge outside the traditional education path. The law builds on Section 8 of RA 10533 (Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013), which emphasizes the need to align teaching qualifications with industry-relevant skills. According to the Department of Education (DepEd), this shift ensures that “professionals with specific expertise can contribute to the development of a literate, skilled, and productive citizenry.”

With the implementation of this law, graduates of programs like Culinary Arts, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Food Technology, Interior Design, and Clothing Technology—who were previously barred from teaching due to lack of teaching licenses—can now bring real-world insights into the classroom. As long as they meet TESDA certifications (NC I and NC II) and undergo teacher training methodology, they are eligible to teach in both public and private schools.

🛠️ Bridging Technical Know-How with the Classroom: The TESDA Connection

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) plays a central role in validating the competence of these provisional teachers. To ensure quality instruction, provisional teachers must secure National Certificates (NC I and NC II) and undergo a structured Training Methodology Level 1 program.

According to TESDA’s official training framework, the national certificates prove that a candidate has passed competency-based assessments in a specific field. By integrating TESDA’s standard with DepEd’s requirements, the Philippine education system creates a bridge between industry and academe — a move that experts see as crucial in promoting 21st-century skills like entrepreneurship, innovation, and practical problem-solving.

🧵 Who Qualifies Under RA 11168? A Look into the Future Teaching Force

The law doesn’t provide a blanket endorsement for all home economics graduates. Instead, it sets clear qualifications for those who wish to enter the teaching profession through this route:

  1. Completion of a non-education baccalaureate degree in home economics or its allied fields;

  2. TESDA certification: NC I and NC II for technical-vocational teaching;

  3. Training Methodology Level 1 accreditation;

  4. A requirement to take and pass the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) within five years from hiring.

This framework ensures that even if the individual isn’t originally trained as a teacher, they are still subjected to a rigorous standard that upholds teaching excellence.

According to CHED (Commission on Higher Education), degree programs such as Family Life and Child Development, Community Nutrition, Industrial Education, and Science in Family Life Development all fall within the acceptable range of disciplines under the IRR.

🧑‍🏭 The Rise of Provisional Teachers: A Solution to the Educator Shortage?

One of the most pressing concerns in the Philippine education system is the chronic shortage of licensed teachers, especially in subjects like Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE). RA 11168 offers a pragmatic solution: appoint provisional teachers who are experts in their craft, even if they do not yet hold a teaching license.

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) and DepEd will collaborate with TESDA to set the standards and determine who qualifies. This opens the door for highly capable professionals to earn while preparing for the LET, essentially providing a pathway to professional teaching without sidelining competency and quality.

📚 Beyond the Classroom: Skills That Shape Future Citizens

The impact of this law goes far beyond filling teaching vacancies. It elevates home economics from being seen as a “minor subject” to a vital tool for developing life skills, entrepreneurship, household management, and financial literacy.

By bringing in professionals who have hands-on experience, students will gain access to practical learning that aligns with real-world challenges. This fulfills the vision of RA 10533: an education system that is inclusive, flexible, and future-ready.

Moreover, by acknowledging non-traditional educators, the law recognizes that learning does not only come from formal teaching degrees—it can come from lived experiences, business ventures, culinary creativity, and technical expertise.

🏛️ Final Provisions and Future Updates

DepEd, in coordination with CHED, PRC, and TESDA, holds the authority to issue additional policies and guidelines to ensure that the IRR remains responsive to emerging needs. Amendments are also allowed, ensuring that this law can adapt to educational trends and global standards.

The IRR has already been published in the Official Gazette, and as per the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR) at UP Law Center, the law takes immediate effect. This shows the urgency and importance the government places on upgrading the teaching workforce with professionals who can impart more than just textbook knowledge.

🕰️ Rethinking Teachers’ Work Hours: A Deeper Look into CSC Resolution No. 080096

📚 A New Interpretation of the 8-Hour Workday for Teachers

The long-debated issue of teachers' working hours was revisited in CSC Resolution No. 080096, a landmark ruling that sought to balance the spirit of Republic Act No. 4670, also known as the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, with the broader labor standards established under RA 1880.

Unlike previous discussions that merely reiterated teachers are not exempt from the 8-hour workday, this resolution took a more holistic and teacher-centered approach, highlighting the complexity and emotional labor involved in the teaching profession. It acknowledged the duality of teachers’ duties: six hours for actual classroom teaching, and two hours for tasks that extend beyond the blackboard—often invisible but undeniably essential.

🧾 Legal Tensions: RA 4670 vs. RA 1880

CSC Resolution 080096 emerged from a formal request by then DepEd Secretary Jesli A. Lapus who sought clarification on the apparent contradiction between Section 13 of RA 4670 and previous CSC Resolutions Nos. 91-1019 and 94-5824. Lapus argued that interpreting the law in a way that burdens teachers defeats the Magna Carta’s very purpose, which is to protect their welfare.

According to the Civil Service Commission, however, no explicit exemption in RA 4670 waives the requirement for teachers to comply with the standard 40-hour workweek. This position aligns with the Administrative Code of 1987, specifically Section 5, Rule XVII, which mandates government employees—including teachers—to render at least eight hours of work daily unless otherwise provided by special laws.

🧠 The Mental and Physical Load of Educators

In a subtle yet significant shift, Resolution 080096 recognized that while the law limits actual classroom teaching to six hours, it doesn't dismiss the immense responsibility that teachers shoulder beyond those hours. Tasks like lesson planning, exercise correction, student counseling, and extracurricular involvement often stretch well beyond the traditional work schedule.

As supported by ACT and various teachers' unions, the teaching profession comes with unique psychosocial stressors—including high student-teacher ratios, multi-grade responsibilities, and a lack of sufficient facilities. These realities are not just anecdotal but well-documented in education sector reports, such as those released by UNESCO and local DepEd studies.

🏫 The Faculty Room Dilemma: Where Should Teachers Work?

Another fresh insight from this resolution is the flexibility granted for non-teaching duties. The Commission now allows teachers to perform their two hours of non-classroom duties either within or outside the school premises—a significant shift from earlier rigid interpretations. However, this comes with a condition: DepEd must implement monitoring mechanisms to ensure output and accountability.

This flexibility reflects a more modern view of professional autonomy, something echoed in progressive education systems worldwide. According to comparative studies by the OECD, many countries now recognize that teacher productivity cannot always be confined to a traditional workplace setting.

🧭 Toward a More Teacher-Friendly Implementation

Although CSC Resolution No. 080096 reaffirms that teachers must adhere to the 8-hour workday, it offers compassionate flexibility by validating the need for alternative work arrangements. It also underscores the responsibility of the Department of Education to formulate clear, fair, and implementable guidelines—a task that, as of this writing, remains a work in progress.

As cited in the resolution, “No reason is more compelling for the government than the protection of its most valuable resource”—its teachers. This reinforces the policy direction set forth by Section 1 of RA 4670, which aims to improve the economic and social status of teachers, attract talented individuals into the profession, and support national development through education.

📌 Final Thoughts: Teachers Deserve More Than Just Legal Compliance

CSC Resolution No. 080096 does not radically change the legal framework governing teachers’ working hours—but it reframes the discourse. It urges policymakers and implementers to go beyond compliance and consider the realities teachers face daily.

Ultimately, this resolution affirms what many in the education sector already know: that actual classroom teaching is only one part of the complex, multifaceted job of being a public school teacher. It is high time that this truth is reflected not just in law, but in practice, support, and policy implementation.

🛡️ Preventive Alert System in Schools (PASS) for Mpox: A Proactive Shield for Safer Campuses

In a time when schools are under increasing pressure to maintain health and safety standards, the Preventive Alert System in Schools (PASS) for Mpox stands out as a structured, school-based health surveillance model. Unlike other emergency responses that kick in during outbreaks, PASS is a preventive protocol—not just a reactionary measure. It enables schools to spot, trace, and treat Mpox cases before they become threats to the wider student population.

According to the Department of Health (DOH) and recent updates from the World Health Organization (WHO), Mpox (Monkeypox) is a re-emerging public health concern that spreads through close contact, and early detection is key to containing outbreaks.

👩‍⚕️ Daily Defense: Health Inspections at the Frontline

PASS begins with a daily health inspection led by the teacher or designated school personnel. This seemingly simple routine of observation and check-ups becomes a first line of defense. Learners are encouraged to report symptoms early, such as fever, rashes, or fatigue, allowing school personnel to act before conditions worsen. This part of the system not only promotes health awareness but also fosters accountability among students and staff.

🔍 Validation Protocol: Fact-Checking Symptoms Before Action

The next vital step in the process is validation, which prevents unnecessary panic and ensures that only probable or suspect cases are escalated. Here, the teacher or designated school health official reviews the reported symptoms. This protocol upholds the accuracy of the health alert system, reducing false alarms while ensuring timely intervention for real cases.

📞 Referral System: Swift Connections to Health Authorities

Once a case is validated, it is immediately referred to the school head, who becomes the bridge between the school and local health units such as the LHO (Local Health Office), LESU (Local Epidemiology Surveillance Unit), or RESU (Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit). According to DOH circulars, the immediacy of referral is essential in preventing community transmission, especially in closed environments like classrooms. The school head also ensures that parents are informed of their child’s health condition, creating a transparent process that keeps families in the loop.

🧩 Contact Tracing🧭: Identifying the Invisible Web

While awaiting test results, contact tracing is initiated to map possible transmissions. Unlike reactive measures, this is done proactively by tracing classmates, teachers, or staff who may have interacted with the suspect case. According to WHO recommendations, rapid contact tracing significantly lowers transmission rates and is considered the gold standard in outbreak control. In PASS, this is carried out by the school head in close coordination with the LHO/LESU/RESU.

👀 Monitoring in Isolation: Silent Vigilance

Once isolated, whether in a home setting or temporary quarantine area, the school health personnel continually monitor the health status of the affected learner. This stage isn't just about waiting—it’s about observing whether symptoms escalate, stabilize, or disappear. The surveillance here plays a key role in shaping decisions for treatment or reintegration.

💊 Treatment Tailored to Symptoms

Should symptoms worsen, the student is provided with supportive treatment for fever, pain, and pruritus (itchiness). The PASS system aligns this with clinical guidelines set by local health offices, ensuring treatments are medically sound. The LHO, LESU, or RESU takes charge of this phase, reinforcing the collaborative effort between school-based and government health units.

📆 Follow-Up Checks: Closing the Loop

Recovery doesn’t mean an automatic return to school. Within three days after the isolation period, a follow-up health check is conducted. In cases that were confirmed, a medical certificate from the attending physician is mandatory. This step ensures not only the student’s full recovery but also protects the rest of the school population.

📂 Records and Reports: Evidence-Based Practice

The final step in PASS is documentation. Reports, referral slips, and medical certifications are recorded and filed to create a transparent and accountable record of actions taken. These files become valuable references for future health incidents, audits, or even policy revisions.

🏫 Why PASS Matters Now More Than Ever

As schools reopen nationwide, protocols like PASS are not just recommendations—they are lifelines. According to DepEd guidelines and DOH Memorandum 2022-0300, schools are duty-bound to protect learners through layered, science-based approaches. PASS turns this obligation into an operational reality, customized for the school setting.

🛡️ DepEd's Frontline Move Against Mpox in Schools: A Deeper Look Into Memorandum No. 053, s. 2025 🏫

In the wake of increasing health threats, the Department of Education (DepEd) once again steps forward to safeguard the health and well-being of learners and education personnel. DepEd Memorandum No. 053, s. 2025, issued on July 4, 2025, is not just another advisory—it's a comprehensive call to action. But instead of focusing solely on alarming statistics or dry procedural bullet points, let’s dive deeper into how this directive redefines school health protocols in a post-pandemic world, emphasizing preparedness, dignity, and community.

🧬 What Is Mpox? Understanding the Enemy to Defeat It 🦠

Before we discuss the DepEd monkeypox advisory, we must understand what Mpox (formerly monkeypox) really is. According to the Department of Health (DOH) and the World Health Organization (WHO), Mpox is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus, notable for its painful rash, swollen lymph nodes, fever, and muscle aches. Despite its serious symptoms, the disease is rarely fatal, and most cases are mild.

The virus spreads through direct contact—either skin-to-skin or through contaminated materials—and intimate interactions, particularly sexual contact. This makes schools a potential hotspot, not because of typical transmission channels, but due to the high volume of physical contact and shared spaces.

🚨 Beyond Awareness: Reactivating the PASS System for True Vigilance 🛎️

What makes DepEd Memo 053 unique is the reactivation of the Preventive Alert System in Schools (PASS), an initiative originally designed during the SARS outbreak under DepEd Order No. 34, s. 2003.

PASS empowers teachers and students alike to become watchful and proactive. Health observations are conducted during class, and peer monitoring is encouraged—where learners can notify teachers if a classmate exhibits suspicious symptoms like rashes, fever, or sore throat.

This school-wide surveillance isn’t just reactive—it’s a step toward building a culture of health accountability in the school system.

🧼 Hygiene as a Habit: Transforming School Culture ✋💧

According to DOH Memorandum No. 2024-0306, hygiene remains the cornerstone of Mpox prevention. But DepEd pushes it further: this isn’t about putting up sanitizer dispensers just for compliance. It’s about embedding hygienic behaviors into the daily life of students and teachers.

The memo calls for:

  • Frequent handwashing using alcohol-based rubs

  • Daily health inspections in classrooms

  • Disinfection of shared surfaces and materials

This renewed focus on cleanliness is not just about avoiding illness—it’s about creating a learning environment where health is prioritized as much as academics.

🏥 Compassionate Isolation and Thoughtful Reintegration 🏠

One of the misunderstood aspects of managing infectious diseases in school is isolation. Instead of treating isolation as punishment or exile, DepEd reframes it as a protective and necessary health response.

Suspect or confirmed Mpox cases are to be:

  • Isolated at home, if symptoms are mild

  • Monitored by school health personnel

  • Allowed to return only after full recovery and medical clearance

This ensures that the individual’s rights, dignity, and safety are protected—especially important for learners who might feel socially ostracized due to illness.

📢 Risk Communication Without Stigma 🗣️

In a society where health issues often lead to discrimination, DepEd Memo 053 stands out by encouraging schools to avoid stigmatizing at-risk groups. This aligns with WHO’s and DOH’s guidance on ethical health communication.

Enclosure No. 2 provides talking points and messaging templates to help teachers and school heads discuss Mpox sensitively and factually. Educators are being equipped not just to inform, but to foster empathy within school communities.

🧑‍⚕️ The Teacher as Health Sentinel 🧍‍♀️📋

Gone are the days when teachers were solely academic facilitators. Under the updated guidelines, they now act as frontline observers of student health, initiating contact tracing, reporting symptoms, and liaising with school heads and health units.

According to the memorandum:

  • Teachers shall explain PASS operations in class

  • Conduct daily health inspections

  • Report cases to school heads for medical validation and referral

This approach reshapes the role of educators to include student wellness and health literacy, a move that can have lasting impacts on future public health.

📈 From School Reports to National Monitoring 📤

What happens after a case is identified? The reporting chain, as stated in the memo, is both thorough and rapid. Within 24 hours, confirmed Mpox cases must be escalated from the school level to the division and regional offices, all the way to the DepEd Central Office.

There are also standardized reporting templates available:

This systematic approach allows for real-time monitoring, resource deployment, and risk assessment—ensuring that response strategies are grounded in data.

💰 Yes, There’s Funding—And It’s Accessible 💸

Worried about where the money for sanitizers, PPE, or orientation materials will come from? The good news is that DepEd allocated Program Support Funds (PSF) specifically for Mpox response under the Learner Support Program-SHD 2025 Current Funds.

Schools are guided by the Implementing Guidelines on PSF Utilization (OM-OUOPS-2025-07-02351) to ensure that the funds are used efficiently and transparently.

🧠 Why This Memo Matters: Rethinking School Health Preparedness 💬

More than a procedural memo, DepEd Memorandum No. 053, s. 2025 is a blueprint for public school resilience. It takes cues from the Department of Health and the World Health Organization, but tailors the response to fit the unique dynamics of the Filipino school setting.

It moves beyond mere compliance and toward a holistic, community-centered approach—where teachers, students, health workers, and parents work hand-in-hand to ensure that learning continues in a safe and nurturing space.

🗣️ From Words to Wisdom: DepEd’s New Language Roadmap for K to Grade 3

As the Philippine education system continues to evolve, DepEd Order No. 020, s. 2025 brings not just a policy shift, but a paradigm shift — one rooted in linguistic diversity, educational equity, and evidence-based pedagogy. While many focus on the headline change — replacing Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) with Filipino and English for Kindergarten to Grade 3 — what often goes unnoticed is the context-responsive flexibility embedded in the policy.

This deeper layer of reform puts learners’ actual language use at the heart of instruction, offering a new way forward that doesn’t erase multilingualism but instead anchors it to real classroom realities.

🧩📖 Language of Learning Built Around the Child, Not the System

Learners thrive when instruction starts in a language they understand. That’s not just theory — it’s backed by decades of research. According to Cummins (2000) and UNESCO (2003), cognitive growth and academic success are deeply tied to language comprehension. Thus, DepEd’s new language policy recognizes that no one-size-fits-all strategy works in a multilingual country like the Philippines.

Instead of enforcing a fixed MOI (Medium of Instruction), the order outlines four distinct language-use scenarios based on language mapping, learner linguistic profiles, teacher capacity, and instructional resources. The result is a dynamic model where Filipino, English, and local languages coexist in varying roles depending on school context.

🧭🗺️ Mapping the Tongue: From Language Surveys to MOI Scenarios

Starting in SY 2025–2026, all elementary schools and Community Learning Centers (CLCs) must conduct a survey to identify the actual languages used by Key Stage 1 learners. This data-driven approach ensures that MOI decisions are anchored in linguistic reality, not outdated assumptions.

In line with RA 12027, DepEd and the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) will issue a comprehensive language mapping policy by October 2025, providing concrete guidance for the 2026–2027 school year. Until then, schools will use their survey data to determine which of four MOI scenarios fits their learners:

  1. Scenario A: Filipino and English as the only MOI.

  2. Scenario B: Filipino and English as MOI with a regional language as auxiliary.

  3. Scenario C: The learners’ first language as MOI with gradual Filipino-English introduction.

  4. Scenario D: Indigenous language as MOI for schools under the IP Education Program.

According to the DepEd, “there is no assigned Mother Tongue for any learner.” The MOI must emerge from lived experience, not from static linguistic labels.

💬📚 Translanguaging and Oral Scaffolding: The Unsung Heroes of Language Transition

Translanguaging — the practice of shifting between languages to aid understanding — lies at the heart of this policy. Rather than ignoring learners’ First Language (L1), DepEd encourages its use as an auxiliary tool, especially in the early grades.

In scenarios where monolingual classes based on L1 are not feasible, schools will rely on oral scaffolding, peer-assisted learning, and contextual translation to ensure all learners stay engaged. For learners whose L1 is not among the 33 KWF-approved languages, this is a lifeline that supports inclusivity without compromising standards.

By Grades 2 and 3, Filipino and English will gradually become dominant, with full transition by Grade 4, particularly in subjects like Science and Mathematics.

🎓📈 Teaching the Teachers: Empowering the Frontlines of Language Reform

Recognizing that this shift demands more than policy, DepEd places a strong emphasis on teacher training and recruitment. Teachers in monolingual setups must be proficient in their learners’ language, and where that’s not possible, community learning facilitators may be tapped.

Professional development programs by NEAP (National Educators Academy of the Philippines) will focus on strategies like translanguaging, bridging techniques, and contextualized lesson planning. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Learning Resources (BLR), along with SDOs and ROs, will ensure the availability of instructional materials in Filipino, English, and approved local languages.

📝🎯 Assessment in the Language of the Learner

In a bold move toward equity, DepEd declares that except for English and Filipino subjects, assessments must be done in the language most familiar to the learner. Whether it’s oral questioning in Math or comprehension checks in Science, the goal is to measure understanding, not just language proficiency.

Where possible, the Comprehensive Rapid Literacy Assessment (CRLA) will also follow the classroom MOI. If no tools exist in the MOI, scaffolding techniques will be employed to validate comprehension without skewing results due to unfamiliar language.

🧠⚙️ Monitoring for Equity and Impact

To track effectiveness, the Basic Education Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (BEMEF) will oversee the rollout of the MOI scenarios. Schools are urged to document local strategies, language innovations, and learner progress — turning practice into policy evolution.

Moreover, a formal report must be submitted annually to the President, Senate, and House of Representatives, per RA 12027, detailing progress, challenges, and funding needs. This ensures national accountability and supports further investment in inclusive language learning.

🏫📊 A Learner-Centered Language Future

What makes this policy revolutionary is not merely its content, but its philosophy. It places the child’s language, culture, and identity at the center of learning. By weaving together Filipino, English, and regional tongues based on context, not convenience, DepEd Order No. 020, s. 2025 honors the complexity of Philippine society while steering education toward global standards.

As stated by DepEd Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones in earlier reforms, “Language is not just a tool of communication; it is a carrier of identity.” This order embodies that spirit.

🇵🇭📘 Bridging Languages: DepEd’s New Direction on the Medium of Instruction for Kindergarten to Grade 3 in SY 2025–2026

In a decisive move to strengthen early-grade literacy while respecting the diverse linguistic fabric of the Philippines, the Department of Education (DepEd) has released DepEd Order No. 020, s. 2025, which redefines the Medium of Instruction (MOI) for Kindergarten to Grade 3 learners starting School Year 2025–2026. This order, rooted in Republic Act No. 12027, ushers in a new era of language use in the classroom — one that seeks to balance national identity, educational equity, and inclusive learning for all Filipino children.

📚✨ Rewriting the Script: Why DepEd is Changing the Language of Learning

For decades, Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) has been the hallmark of early education in the Philippines. But according to Republic Act No. 12027, this approach is now being discontinued for Kindergarten to Grade 3, giving way to a new policy that emphasizes Filipino and English as the primary media of instruction.

The rationale? As cited by the law, the MTB-MLE implementation faced systemic challenges — from lack of instructional materials in many local languages to teacher training and learner mobility issues. DepEd, through this new policy, aims to streamline instruction while maintaining inclusive practices for learners with hearing disabilities and those from indigenous communities.

This major transition is aligned with the reforms introduced in the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 (RA 10533), as amended, which calls for flexibility in curriculum and pedagogy to meet 21st-century learning needs.

🗣️🔁 Filipino and English Take Center Stage, But Multilingualism Isn't Gone

Under this new policy, Filipino and English will serve as the main MOI across Kindergarten to Grade 3 classrooms. Notably, the use of Filipino Sign Language is included to support deaf and hard-of-hearing learners, reinforcing DepEd’s commitment to inclusive education.

But does this mean the end of local languages in classrooms?

Not exactly. According to DepEd Order No. 020, regional and indigenous languages will still play a crucial role as auxiliary modes of instruction. This includes the use of translanguaging techniques, which allow learners to make meaning across languages — a practice proven to boost comprehension and cultural connection, especially for early readers.

Additionally, community learning centers (CLCs) and schools under the Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) Program are permitted to use the learner’s local language as MOI, provided they meet certain requirements. This clause ensures that linguistic diversity remains a vital part of the Philippine education landscape.

🏫📜 Implications for Teachers, Schools, and Parents

This sweeping change has significant implications on curriculum implementation, particularly on how schools will align with the MATATAG Curriculum rollout, officially known as DepEd Order No. 010, s. 2024. Teachers will need professional development to effectively implement Filipino-English bilingual education, while administrators must ensure compliance with language policy guidelines.

Parents, too, are encouraged to engage in this shift. With the new language framework, home support will be crucial in helping children navigate between Filipino, English, and their heritage language.

According to experts from the University of the Philippines Law Center (UPLC) and the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR), this change is legally binding and takes effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.

📅🚀 A Timely Transition or a Leap of Faith?

The implementation of DepEd Order No. 020, s. 2025 is set to take full effect by SY 2025–2026 — a relatively short window for transition. Yet, as the DepEd asserts, this decision is not abrupt but grounded in research, legal reform, and feedback from stakeholders.

While some education advocates remain cautious, many believe that this reform may finally resolve the inconsistencies and logistical constraints of the previous MTB-MLE model. It also brings the Philippines closer to international bilingual education standards, particularly in Southeast Asia.

Still, as with any change, the success of this language shift will depend on policy execution, community involvement, and continuous monitoring to ensure that no learner is left behind.

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