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February 14, 2026 | 3:19pm
This photo taken on March 21, 2025, shows students working on activities next to fans at an elementary school at Baseco in Manila.
AFP / Jam Sta Rosa
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) is considering implementing a trimester system for the 2026–2027 school year as part of a “holistic approach” to improve learning continuity and reduce administrative burden on teachers.
In a statement, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the proposal seeks to provide students with longer, uninterrupted periods of learning and a more manageable pacing of lessons.
“Itinutulak natin ito upang magkaroon ng mas mahahabang, tuloy-tuloy na panahon ng pagkatuto, mas maayos na pacing ng mga aralin, at mas mababang administrative burden para sa ating mga guro. Sa ganitong paraan, napapangalagaan natin ang kalidad ng edukasyon,” Angara said, citing findings from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom2).
(We are pushing this so we can have longer and continuous periods of learning, a more appropriate pacing of study, and a lower administrative burden for our teachers. In this way, we are safeguarding the quality of education.)
Under the proposal, the 201-day school year will be divided into three terms:
- First term: June to September
- Second term: September to December
- Third term: January to March
Each term will have 54 to 61 days of classes with minimal interruptions, plus time for remediation, assessments and teacher planning.
An opening block is also planned for Term 1 to accommodate the opening-of-school-year activities.
DepEd said the new schedule will allow teachers to sustain lesson delivery without frequent interruptions, giving them more time for planning, assessment and professional responsibilities.
The approach also ensures a more strategic organization of the curriculum across academic, co-curricular and extracurricular blocks.
To reduce disruptions from mandated celebrations and observances, DepEd is promoting “low-disruption alternatives,” integrating these events into classroom instruction rather than holding separate programs that halt lessons.
National and cultural observances, for instance, could be included in reading materials, science discussions, project-based learning and thematic reflections, allowing students to engage with civic themes while continuing regular lessons. Shorter in-class activities or curriculum-linked projects may replace whole-day events that suspend academic instruction.
The department said it will release detailed policy guidelines on the trimester system in the coming days after consultations with schools, teachers and other stakeholders.
