Law Summary
Development and Consultations
- The BEC is the result of 16 years of study and development under previous DepEd secretaries.
- Extensive consultations were conducted from 1995 onwards involving schools, parents, students, business sectors, NGOs, and education system administrators.
- Further consultations continued in 2001 including experts, teachers from both public and private schools, regional and division education officials, and subject area representatives.
Endorsement and Structural Reforms
- The Philippine Commission on Educational Reforms (PCER) recommended the adoption and implementation of the restructured BEC starting in 2002.
- The curriculum decongests the previously overcrowded curriculum and integrates values into all subjects.
- Emphasis is placed on integrative and interactive teaching methods promoting group learning and collaborative lesson planning among teachers.
Curriculum Innovations
- High school mathematics transitions from a spiral system to a linear, sequential approach.
- Math subjects are taught progressively from Elementary Algebra in 1st year to Intermediate Algebra in 2nd year and Geometry in 3rd year.
Teacher Training and Capacity Building
- A robust training program commenced in March 2002, expanding from 1,418 to approximately 491,000 trained teachers by May 2002.
- Additional training was provided to 1,500 teacher-trainers for high school mathematics who then facilitated school-based trainings.
Textbook Procurement and Distribution
- Textbooks worth approximately 1.4 billion pesos have been delivered or are in distribution for Grades 1-IV and 1st and 2nd-year high school.
- Due to savings from transparent procurement, DepEd extended textbook provision to Grades 1-VI and 1st and 3rd year high school.
Lesson Plans and Monitoring
- Many lesson plans have been prepared and additional trainings took place from June 3 to 15.
- Each high school math teacher receives lesson plans for instruction.
- All regional directors submit comprehensive reports on training participation, feedback, and monitoring activities.
Private Schools and Employment Impact
- Adoption of BEC is optional in private schools, with over 50% participating.
- No teachers will lose their jobs; instead, DepEd has increased hiring by 15,000 new teachers.
Evaluation and Ongoing Development
- Quarterly evaluations of the revised curriculum will be conducted by NETRC, BEE, BSE, and NEAP.
- Continuous monitoring and fine-tuning will occur during school year 2002-2003, supported by school principals and supervisors.
- Selected prototype lesson plans will be distributed to improve implementation.
Support and Compliance
- The BEC has received support from educational leaders and authorities across the Philippines.
- Public school officials and teachers have shown strong support and commitment to implementation.
- The entire DepEd organization is mobilized to support the effective execution of the curriculum.