THE DEPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) XI announced on Wednesday that public schools nationwide will adopt a new “three-term” academic calendar for School Year 2026-2027, aimed at ensuring 201 uninterrupted class days.
Speaking at the Davao Peace and Security Press Corps briefing, DepEd XI spokesperson Jenilieto Atillo confirmed that classes will officially begin on June 8, 2026, marking a return to the traditional June-to-April academic cycle.
“We are getting back to the normal, the usual schedule—the traditional opening of classes,” Atillo said.
Under the new scheme, the school year is divided into three distinct terms to maximize instructional time by segregating extracurricular activities from core learning hours.
“The objective is to provide a quality teaching-learning period,” Atillo explained. “We do not want to burden the students. Extracurricular activities, such as Buwan ng Wika or Nutrition Month, will now be conducted outside of regular class hours—either in the afternoon or on weekends—subject to prior coordination with parents.”
According to DepEd, this structure is designed to deliver the full 201-day curriculum effectively. Class days will be divided into three terms, each consisting of an opening period, an instructional phase, and end-of-term activities.
Atillo clarified that private institutions are not compelled to follow suit.
“Private schools have the option to adopt this or not for this school year,” he added.
The first term will start with initial school activities from June 8 to 11, followed by regular classes beginning June 15 until early September, and concluding with assessments and related activities in mid-September.
The second term will run from mid-September to early December, with end-of-term activities scheduled before the holiday break.
Classes will resume in January for the third term, which will run until late March, followed by final assessments and closing activities in early April 2027.
The department noted that schools can shift to alternative learning modalities to ensure that instruction remains continuous during natural disasters.
