I love Education

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...

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. Acc...

📚 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 b...

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 sympto...

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 rar...

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 la...

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 M...