MODULE 2:

MOST ESSENTIAL
LEARNING COMPETENCIES
(MELCs)
LESSON 1: BACKGROUND, RATIONALE,
AND DEVELOPMENT OF MELCS
ACTIVITY 1
1. The closure of schools around the world due to the global pandemic
posed serious challenges on the delivery of quality basic education. As a
teacher, what do you think are the fundamental concerns in terms of
curriculum standards that need to be addressed in order to ensure
learning continuity? Cite a specific example. Do you think these
concerns could be solved by teachers alone? Why or why not?
With this global pandemic we have today, this make education for children
more difficult to achieve. This also brings a big challenge to the Department of
education to conduct education in this new normal situation. The best way to
address the problem is adapt this new normal learning by shifting to distance
or modular learning. With this strategy, we can ensure learning continuity. This
concerns are not for teachers alone but also with the collaboration of all the
DepEd forces teaching and non-teaching staff. And of course through parents’
learners and stake holders support.
2. Even prior to the spread of COVID-19 that eventually led to the closure
of schools nationwide, the congested curriculum has been a perennial
problem of teachers (Andaya, 2018). This is perceived to be one of the
hindering factors on the poor performance of Filipino learners. Do you
agree with this observation? Why or why not?

Yes, I agree, in the department of education several curriculums had been

laid and adapt for the purpose of achieving higher standard education and can
produce a globally competitive learner. But due to the congested curriculum
we cant achieve our goals. Students cant cope up with the content standard
sometimes it takes time to finish a full quarter subject with a limited time
allotment.
The congested curriculum is not the only issue that affects learners’
performance in school. Some of our learners did not master the fundamental
skills that are being stressed out before in teaching process.
ACTIVITY 2
Familiarize yourself with the course reading on the Development and
Design of the MELCs. After going through the document, provide a brief
and concise response to the following guide questions.

1. What are the general and specific purposes of the development of

MELCs?

The Department of Education's Bureau of Curriculum Development

developed MELCs to cope with the drastic change in the educational
atmosphere due to Covid 19 pandemic. The focus of instruction were
streamlined to the most essential or the most indispensable learning
competencies.
 -MELCs is to concentrate on the most essential skills a child
requires to learn and to uphold the quality of the curriculum.
-MELCs is also developed in response to UNESCO's fourth
sustainable development goal and that is to develop resilient
education systems, most especially during emergencies.
-MELCs can be used as a mechanism to ensure education
continuity.
-MELCs intend to assist schools in navigating the limited
number of school days as they employ multiple delivery schemes
by providing them ample instructional space
2. How does curriculum review aid in the identification of
essential learning competencies?
It will inform us to determine the most essential and attainable competencies
that can be reached both the learners and teachers and can be conveyed by
the parents.
Analysis of the Interconnectedness of prerequisite knowledge and skills
among the learning competencies for each subject area.
Curriculum review mapped the essential and desirable learning
competencies within the curriculum. It also led to the identification of gaps,
issues, and concerns within and across learning areas and grade levels. It
helped in the identification of areas for improvement that would enhance the
learning engagement, experience, and outcomes and consequently recommend
solutions. In addition, it analyse the interconnectedness of prerequisite
knowledge and skills among the learning competencies for each
subject area.
3. What is the difference between essential learning
competencies and desirable learning competencies?

In the teaching-learning process, essential learning skills were

identified as what the learners need, considered indispensable, to
develop skills to equip the learners for subsequent grade levels
and, consequently, for lifelong learning. On the other hand,
desirable learning skills have been described as what can
improve education but may not be necessary to develop
fundamental skills.
4. How were the most essential learning competencies identified? What
were the decisions made in order to trim down the number of the essential
learning competencies further?

The most essential learning skills listed provided the participants with different
characteristics to help them select which of the most important learning skills. It could
have retained, merged or dropped the learning competence.
Learning competencies are identified by knowing the following characteristics.
-it is applicable to real-life situations
-it would be important for students to acquire the competency after s/he left that
particular grade level
-it is aligned with national, state, and/or local standards/ frameworks (e.g., scientifically-
literate Filipinos)
-it would not be expected that most students would learn this through their
parents/communities if not taught at school
-it connects the content to higher concepts across content areas
5. What is the importance of the MELCs in ensuring
the delivery of quality instruction?

MELC is an answer towards enhancing quality teaching, as it

ensures what learning skills should be included in the curriculum and
serves as a teachers' guide.
MELCS serves as a teacher guides in preparing our lesson (weekly
home learning plan) and instructional materials (Self- Learning
Modules).
MELCs ensures delivery of quality instruction as it becomes the
primary reference in determining and implementing learning delivery
approaches that are suited to the local context and diversity of
learners while adapting to the challenges posed by COVID-19.
ACTIVITY 3

Prepare a copy of your learning area’s original K-12

Curriculum Guide and corresponding list of MELCs. Go to the
sections of the curriculum guide and MELCs that are
relevant to your instructional needs. Copy and accomplish
the following table in this Study Notebook and compare the
two documents to determine which learning competencies
were retained, dropped, or merged.
 K to 12 Learning Competencies MELCs
Articulate definitions of politics. Explain the concept, relationship, and importance of
HUMSS_PG12-Ia-1 politics, governance, and government.
Differentiate the various views on politics.
HUMSS_PG12-Ia-2
Explore the connection between the phenomenon (politics) and
the method of inquiry (Political Science).
Merged/Clustered HUMSS_PG12-Ia-3
Recognize the value of politics
HUMSS_PG12-Ia-4
Differentiate governance from government.
HUMSS_PG12-Ia-5

Differentiate the political ideologies. Differentiate the political ideologies.

Retained HUMSS_PG12-Ib-c-7 HUMSS_PG12-Ib-c-7
Examine the relationship between political ideologies and
configurations of political communities.
Dropped HUMSS_PG12-Ib-c-8 n/a
ACTIVITY 4
In your LAC Session, discuss and share your answers to Activities
1-3 in this lesson. Discuss any questions about the MELCs that need
clarification as well. Share your thoughts and let your co-teachers
articulate their insights regarding your questions. Jot down all the
insights shared in the discussion, including your own, in this Study
Notebook.
Identification of whether the competency is to be maintained,
combined, dropped or rephrased is important. Learning skills should still
concentrate on the study, understanding and writing skills that are
essential to our everyday lives. A list of the features of important learning
skills has been presented to help participants determine which of the
most relevant LCs are.
 MODULE 2:
MOST ESSENTIAL
LEARNING COMPETENCIES
(MELCs)
LESSON 2: UNPACKING AND COMBINING
MELCs INTO LEARNING OBJECTIVES
ACTIVITY 1

1. What is the importance of unpacking and

combining the MELCs?

It helps and directs us to plan learning activities and address

the varying student needs and challenges of teaching deliveries
well.
We need to unpacked MELCS to help us systematize
learning activities and effectively address the varying needs of
learners and the challenges of instructional deliveries.
2. What considerations must be taken in unpacking and
combining the MELCs? Explain each.

• Retained- Meets the criterion of strength, contributes to

the lifelong learning process and is a pre-requisite skill.
• Merged- Two or more learning skills which have the same
goals or objectives are combined into one comprehensive
learning skill.
• Rephrased- to make the statement more concise
• Dropped- the learning competency is too specific,
recurring
In unpacking MELCs we must consider the following:
Alignment on the Content and Performance Standards.
The MELCS are not departure from the standard-based design.
We must consider this to achieve a quality teaching output.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills - curriculum objective must
be hierarchy. Mastering Fundamental knowledge Is a must before
going to the other level of learning.
Logical sequence of learning objectives - We cant give a better
learning ideas to our students if our objective is not logical
sequence. Planning what are the most important objective is key
frame in achieving better understanding of our learners.
3. Do all the MELCs need to be unpacked or
combined? Why or why not?

Yes, because learning objectives must be suitable to

the learners at a given time and modalities.
The teacher may unpacked or combined the MELCS
depends on sequence of the lesson, the progress and
needs of learners as long as the content and standard
will be achieved.
ACTIVITY 2
1. Form a group of four members within your LAC, preferably
with fellow teacher's in your respective learning area.

2. Using the curriculum guide and a list of the MELCs, choose

MELCs in the first quarter and unpack these into learning
objectives.

3. Each team will present their unpacked learning objectives.

Discussion and processing will follow each presentation.
Suggestions and insights from each group will be considered in
enhancing the learning objectives
 Congratulations!

You have completed Module 2

You are now ready for Module 3A.