Journey Towards

Basic Education
Curricular Reforms:
1946 - 2001
1946- 1956
The establishment of the Commonwealth, called for
reorientation of educational plans and policies to
conform to the requirements of a revised form of
government. The 1935 Constitution provided
certain educational objectives such as the
development of moral character, personal
discipline, civic conscience, vocational efficiency
and citizenship training..
To carry out the Constitutional mandate a revision
of the elementary curriculum was made to include
the teaching of the National Language obligatory. It
was offered as a subject in 1939-1940 in the public
the Commonwealth no effort was made to give
importance to the native dialects for it was believed
that English should be the basic official language.
With full autonomy given to the Commonwealth
government, there was a need to make Filipino
pupils and students aware of learning a common
native tongue.
Another development was the shortening of the elementary
curriculum from 7 to 6 years in order to admit more children of
school age. The Educational Act of 1940, then called the
“Magna Carta” of the Philippines, provided for the system of
public elementary education and its matter of financing.
Legislations affecting basic education
1. Commonwealth Act No. 586 Approved on August 7, 1940.
an Act to provide for the Revision of the System of Public
Elementary Education in the Philippines including the
financing thereof:
2. Commonwealth Act No. 598 Approved on August 19, 1940.
An Act Establishing a School Ritual in All Public and
Private Elementary and Secondary Schools. Section 2 of
this Act provides “the school ritual shall consist of solemn
and patriotic ceremonies and shall mainly include the
singing of the Philippine National Hymn, and the
recitation by the pupils or students assembled of a
patriotic pledge by a committee provided for in this Act”).
3. Republic Act No. 896 Approved on June 20, 1953. an
Act to Declare the Policy on Elementary Education in the
Philippines.
1957 – 1982
 Elementary Education
The Revised Elementary Education
Curriculum was gradually
effected beginning the school year 1957- 1958.
In the Revised Elementary Education
Curriculum the vernacular instruction in grades
I and II; Pilipino and English were offered as
subjects.
The Continuous Progression Scheme (CPS)
was implemented in the elementary during the
SY 1970 – 1971 but due to some
misconceptions, it was literally construed as
mass promotion, hence many non- readers
were promoted to the next grade level. The
non-cooperation of many parents for their
children to attend summer tutorial classes
added to the non- institutionalization of CPS.
1957 – 1972
Secondary Education
One feature of the 1957 – 1972 reform was the offering of
Character Education and Good Manners and Right Conduct as a
“separate subject in the elementary and secondary curricula in
all public and private schools, effective at the beginning of the
second semester of SY 1958 – 1959”
a. Elementary level GMRC – everyday the most suitable
language in all grade levels during the opening exercises.
b. Character Education and Right Conduct shall be given in
English for a period of 40 minutes once a week. DO No. 5, s.
1958 dated August 1, 1958.
1973 – 1988
Secondary Education
The revised Secondary Education Program (RSEP) replaced
the 2 – 2 Plan In 1973. among the objectives of the curriculum
was “to acquire the basic occupational skills acknowledge and
information essential for gainful employment and for making
intelligent choice or occupation or career.” Electives were
included, exploratory courses were offered that would expose
the students to specialization in the third and fourth years.
The RSEP implemented starting SY 1973 – 1974 introduced
by the hour programming instead of 40 minutes per learning
area.
The Bilingual Education Policy was likewise
issued as DO No. 25 s. 1974. the Bureau of
higher Education issued the Revised Teacher
Education Curriculum embodied in DO No. 8,
s. 1970 based on the following principles:
reorientation of teacher education to Philippine
needs, conditions, and aspirations;
coordination and freedom as a necessary
safeguard against proliferation both in content
and procedure;
institutional cooperation and sharing through
participation of teacher education institutions
in a system of educational consortium; quality
“control” through an adequate system of
“control” with respect to standards instruction
and instructional facilities; teacher education
for all levels and disciplines which involves
teacher preparation at all levels and in all
areas; and observance of professional ethics
and morality.
1989 – 2001
The New Secondary Education Curriculum
The conceptualization of the New Secondary School
Curriculum (NSEC) began in 1982 in preparation for the
graduates of the NSEC implemented starting SY 1982 – 83
in Grade 1. the new elementary was put in place one grade
upwards every year therefore through the six grades of
elementary school, under the Program for Decentralized
Education Development (PRODED). In February 1994,
further testing was done to assess student achievement
after the full implementation of the NSEC.
 For the first time, Values Education was offered as a
separate subject in high school, hence the training of trainers
and mass training of teachers included values formation. A
values Education framework was put in place by DECS. The
teacher education institution were encouraged to offer Values
Education as a specialization in BSE.
1983 – 2001
Elementary Education
Program for Comprehensive Elementary Education
(PROCEED). The impact of the aforementioned researches
paved the way for the development of a 10-year (1980-1990)
Program for comprehensive Elementary Education now better
known for its acronym, PROCEED.
2010 Secondary Education Curriculum
Per DepEd Order No. 76 s. 2010 the 2010 Secondary
Education Curriculum (SEC) was implemented in the first year
level only. The second, third and fourth years continued to
undertake the 2002 BEC.
The refinement of the curriculum followed the Understanding
by Design (UBD) framework which covers 3 stages: stage 1:
Results/ Desired Outcome; Stage 2; Assessment; Stage 3;
Learning/Instructional Plan. The first two stages are defined in
the Curriculum Guide. The last stage is covered in the Teaching
Guide. Both documents can be accessed at the BSE website.
The Program for Decentralized Education Development
(PRODED). To serve as pad for the major reform
envisioned in PROCEED, a Program for Decentralized
educational Development which became well-known for
its acronym PRODED was installed.
2002 – 2011
With the coming of a new leadership in 2001 the NESC
and the NSEC were replaced by the 2002 Basic
Education Curriculum (BEC)
DO No. 25, s. 2002 dated June 17, 2002 ordered the
implementation of the 2002 Basic education Curriculum
 during the SY 2002 – 2003. the Philippine Commission
on Educational Reforms (PCER) created on December 7,
1998 through executive Order No. 46, recommended the
adoption of BEC. One feature of the curriculum is
Makabayan, integrating the learning areas of Values
Education, PEHM, Araling Panlipunan and Technology
and Home Economics.
Also, what makes the curriculum interactive is the use of
information technology and the greater emphasis on
computer literacy in all areas in every school where
equipment is available.
RA 10157 – an Act Institutionalizing the Kindergarten Education
into the Basic Education System and appropriating Funds
Therefore was approved on January 20, 2012.
Kindergarten is “mandatory and compulsory for entrance to
Grade 1.” DepEd Order No. 21, s. 2012 dated March 20, 2012
detailed the Policies and Guidelines on the Implementation of the
Universal Kindergarten Education Program S.Y. 2012 – 2013.
2012 – 2013
The Roll-out Implementation of the K-12 Basic Education
Curriculum for Grade 1 and Grade 7 shall start during the SY
2012 – 2013.
It could be noted that the 12 – year Basic Education Cycle is first in the 10
– point agenda of Pres. Benigno Aquino to wit:
1. Expansion to a 12 – year Basic Education Cycle
2. Universal Pre-school
3. Madrasah Education
4. Tech- Voc education in Senior High School
5. Every child a reader by grade 1
6. Proficiency in Math and Science
7. Assistance to Private Education
8. Multilingual Education
9. Quality Textbook
10. Covenant with LGUs to Build more Schools