23/06/2024
Implementation of Matatag Curriculum in the Context of BARMM: MBHTE Conducts Curriculum Mapping
As the MATATAG Curriculum is introduced nationwide this school year, the Directorate General for Basic Education (DGBE) of the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) has begun its mapping using the contextualized Basic Education Curriculum framework. The five-day activity started on June 19 and will end on June 24 at Venue 88, General Santos City. Currently, the mapped grade levels include Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 4, and Grade 7.
The mapping activity was made possible with the help of several partners, represented by Marie Therese Angelie P. Bustos, PhD, the System's Director of Ugnayan ng Pahinungod and a professor from the University of the Philippines (UP), alongside Joel C. Javiniar, PhD, Chair of the Division of Educational Leadership and Professional Services, and Mr. Saddam Blazer, Technical Adviser for Education of Save the Children. The activity was facilitated by the DGBE CID team led by OIC Chief, Sir Abdulbasit Talicup, Education Program Specialist II.
During the workshop, the learning competencies of the MATATAG Curriculum were assessed for alignment with the attributes of learners as identified by the Basic Education Code (BEC) and Moral Governance in Education (MGE). These attributes include being righteous, healthy, environmental stewards, resilient and proactive, critical thinkers and articulate, lifelong learners, and empowered Bangsamoro. For learning competencies that were not aligned, the group will identify interventions to ensure alignment with these learner attributes. This meticulous process was applied to every learning area for the identified grades—Kindergarten, Grades 1, 4, and 7.
Participants from ten out of the eleven divisions were grouped by expertise for every learning area. The divisions present included Basilan with ten participants, Tawi-Tawi with eight, Sulu with ten, Marawi with eleven, Lanao del Sur 1 with twelve, Lanao del Sur 2 with twelve, Maguindanao del Norte with twelve, Maguindanao del Sur with twelve, Cotabato City with twelve, and the Special Geographic Area with eleven. In total, one hundred ten participants were involved in mapping the learning competencies to the learner attributes.
Following this activity, the same group will work on the Teachers' Reference Guide (TRG) and Learning Activity Sheets (LAS). A significant number of teachers will be enlisted as writers, layout artists, language experts, illustrators, and learning resources evaluators. These invitees will join the learning area groups to provide diverse perspectives from each division, which will be considered in the development of the learning materials. This activity is planned to take place from the third week of July until the first week of August, in shaa Allah.
For the initial phase of the MATATAG Curriculum Implementation, the region will set standards for selecting schools to implement the curriculum based on guidelines from the Central Office. Implementers will comprise five percent of the schools in the entire BARMM, which will likely include two or three schools from SDO-SGA, as projected by Education Program Specialist, Sir Abdulbasit Talicup.
In parallel with the development of the TRG and LAS, a mass orientation on the MATATAG Curriculum will be conducted to promote awareness and generate support from curriculum implementers. Mr. Talicup metaphorically emphasized that the Region and SDOs will focus on the MATATAG Curriculum as it is the main course to be handed down to learners, ensuring it is "nutritious."
Once the TRGs and LAS are completed, teachers will be trained on how to use them effectively in the classroom.
With the implementation of the MATATAG Curriculum, the Ministry aims to create well-rounded individuals ready to face the challenges of the world of work and life.