Wazzup Pilipinas!?
MAKATI CITY, 24 April 2026 — Heads of public schools across the country have begun orientation sessions as the Department of Education (DepEd) intensifies a nationwide effort to prepare schools for key teaching and learning reforms set for School Year 2026–2027.
The orientations, which start on April 24, aim to ensure that school heads are fully equipped to strengthen leadership readiness and management of the new academic protocols.
Regional and division planning conferences held earlier this month set the groundwork, followed by cluster-based orientations for school heads until the end of the month. Full orientations for teachers and school heads are scheduled from May 2 to 15.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the early start of orientations signals a more deliberate approach to reform implementation.
“Hindi puwedeng papel lang ang pagbabago. Kailangan ramdam ito sa bawat classroom,” he said. “We are making sure our school heads and teachers understand not just the ‘what,’ but the ‘why’ and the ‘how.’”
At the same time, Angara issued a clear directive to school heads to protect teachers from additional workload as reforms are rolled out.
“Habang pinapadali natin ang sistema, hindi puwedeng dinadagdagan ang trabaho ng guro. No unnecessary reports, no extra tasks that take teachers away from teaching,” he added.
Senior DepEd officials are personally leading the conduct of these orientations to ensure the direct and accurate delivery of policy updates across the regions.
To ensure maximum reach and flexibility, DepEd said these sessions may be conducted face-to-face, online, or through self-paced materials such as websites and video kits.
The department is also providing necessary resources, including materials and resource persons, to maintain high-quality training management support.
The orientations cover adjustments in how the academic year is structured under the three-term school calendar policy. This includes the introduction of an opening block at the start of classes dedicated to baseline assessments, school diagnostics, and early-year programs such as feeding initiatives.
This approach is meant to clear administrative and preparatory tasks before formal lessons begin, allowing teachers and learners to focus on instruction once classes are fully underway.
Meanwhile, Undersecretary for Learning Systems Strand Carmela Oracion clarified that the reorganization of the school calendar will not add new costs for families.
“The total number of school days remains the same. What we are changing is how time is used,” Oracion said, adding that expenses at the start of the school year will remain limited to usual needs such as uniforms, supplies, and daily allowances.
DepEd also underscored that part of the reform is easing the administrative burden on teachers, with school heads expected to streamline school-level requirements and align with national efforts to simplify workload.
Furthermore, the orientations will also cover related reforms on revised guidelines for classroom assessment and grading, lesson planning, flexible learning programs, updated protocols for learning continuity during emergencies, strengthened Senior High School curriculum and work immersion.
These strategic adjustments are specifically geared toward improving learning outcomes by providing a more stable and focused environment for both learners and teachers.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
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