Grade schoolers lagging, resource shortage hampering MATATAG rollout - report
Metro Manila, Philippines - Grade schoolers lagging behind curriculum expectations and a shortage of resources hinder the effective implementation of a curriculum aimed at resolving basic education challenges, according to a recent report by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom II).
In a report titled “Fixing the Foundations: A Matter of National Survival,” data showed that most Grade 3 students were one to two years behind the Matatag curriculum expectations during the foundational years of learning.
This means, those who advance to Grade 4 are only at Grade 2 and 3 in terms of actual competencies, the commission noted.
“This is anticipated to snowball further in later years, with the commission finding Grades 8 and 9 students who struggled with basic subtraction and multiplication in the recent DepEd learning camps,” it said.
The Edcom II meanwhile, said learning recovery programs have to be revamped, including reading and math programs.
“Catch-Up Fridays and the national learning camps need to be revisited. DepEd data show that the camps reached only 10% of those needing intervention, on top of an already limited pool, with only 54% of target students able to take the assessments,” it said.
Adding to these challenges were the loss of school days due to back-to-back disasters.
According to the report, almost half of the learning days were lost due to class suspensions, with the Cordillera region suffering the biggest drop - losing as many as 42 days. Other regions have also missed over 30 days - equivalent to a month of canceled classes.
“Studies have underscored the profound consequence of such losses on learning, with student achievement at Grade 4 (for math and science) declining by up to 12%–14% of a standard deviation, or equivalent to half a year of learning,” the commission said.
The Edcom II recommended to ensure learning continuity through alternative delivery modes.
Sen. Win Gatchalian, the commission’s co-chairperson, said there is a need to “realign our priorities to the earliest stages of education.”
“From the stunted growth of early learners to deep deficits in literacy and numeracy, these problems do not just hinder individual potential—they reverberate throughout a lifetime. They limit opportunities, perpetuate poverty, and stifle national progress,” he said.
Lack of resources
The report also noted how lack of resources challenged the rollout of the MATATAG curriculum, which was carried out in the school year 2024-2025.
Data showed that only 35 out of 90 textbook titles were fully delivered as of January 2025 for Grades 4 and 7, which are under the phased rollout.
Backlog in classroom construction remains at 165,000 with many schools shifting to alternative delivery modes, the EdCom2 said.
“Regional disparities exist between urban and rural areas, with the former facing congestion due to high population density. Likewise, only 30% of school buildings are in good condition,” it said.
The group suggested exploring public-private partnerships to address the shortage. In December, the DepEd said at least 15,000 classrooms will be built this year under the public-private partnership scheme.
