THE IMPLEMENTATION of a trimester system in Department of Education (DepEd) schools is possible for the School Year 2026-2027, an agency official said on Tuesday, Feb. 17.
In an interview with city-run radio on Feb. 17, DepEd Davao spokesperson Jenelito Atillo said while there are no implementing guidelines yet, the reform of the school calendar is possible in the coming academic year.
“For us, it is still sketchy, although it was already confirmed that possibly in 2026-2027, next school year,” Atillo said.
Atillo cited Education Secretary Sonny Angara’s pronouncement as not mentioning the rollout, but only proposing the schedule of programs and activities.
Under the trimester system, the school year will be divided into three academic terms with longer days for teaching and enrichment activities.
“The trimester calendar will be helpful to the students and the teachers as the school days are loosened up,” Atillo stressed.
Based on the proposed calendar framework released by DepEd for SY 26-27, the 201 school days will be divided into three where each term will have 54-61 days for the instructional block.
These days are intended for continuous learning outside of non-academic activities. For the first term, the opening block will be observed, where activities for the opening of the school year will be conducted.
Also included in the reform are low-disruption alternatives where observances and celebrations will be incorporated in the lessons rather than conducting a separate event that disrupts the classes.
According to the proposal, the classes start in the first week of June and run until September for the first term. The second term is from September to December, while the last term is January to March.
Angara explained that the proposal, which is being eyed for the next school year, is part of a “holistic approach” for quality education.
This, after the Second Congressional Committee on Education (EDCOM 2) flagged the proficiency decline of grades 3,6, 10, and 12.
“Itinutulak natin ito upang magkaroon ng mas mahahabang, tuloy-tuloy na panahon ng pagkatuto, mas maayos na pacing ng mga aralin, at mas mababang administrative burden para sa ating mga guro. Sa ganitong paraan, napapangalagaan natin ang kalidad ng edukasyon (We are pushing this for longer and continuous learning, better pacing of education, and reduced administrative burden for our teachers. This way, we can promote a better quality of education),” Angara said in DepEd press release.
At present, DepEd implements two semesters in a school year.
The agency is expected to release formal policy guidelines on the implementation of the trimester calendar as consultation with teachers, school leaders, and other education stakeholders is underway.
