THE CURRICULA OF

PHILIPPINE SCHOOLS
Presented by: Sheca M. Mantos, RND
Pre- school Education

■ Given in public normal laboratory schools, in a few public

schools and in most private schools and colleges. In the
laboratory schools of normal colleges, two divisions of
kindergarten are offered. The junior kindergarten, which is
similar to a nursery class, is given to children who are 5 yrs. old.
The senior kindergarten is for children who are 6 yrs. Old.
Elementary Education

■ Consists of 6 years – a 4 year primary and a 2 year intermediate

education. The child is admitted to grade 1 at the age of 7 and
normally finishes elementary education at the age of 13.

■ Republic Act No. 869 also known as the Elementary Education

Act of 1953 compels every parent or guardian to enroll a child of
school age in a public or private school and keep him there until
he finishes elementary education.
The New Elementary School
Curriculum (NESC)
Features of the NESC (MEC Order No. 6 s. 1982)

■ Fewer learning areas; emphasis on mastery learning;

■ More time allotted to the development of the basic skills, specifically
the 3R’s, especially in the lower grades;
■ Greater emphasis on the development of intellectual skill which are
as important as work skills;
■ Focus on the development of sense of humanity and nationhood in all
the learning areas;
■ Health values development infused into the whole curriculum,
not only in the period for character-building activities and
science and health;
■ The systematic development of competencies and values for
social living reflected in the new dimension in Civics and Culture
for Grades I and II, Civics and culture expanded to include
History, Geography and Work Ethic for Grade III, and an in-depth
learning of History, Geography and Civics in Grades IV to VI.

The elementary school year shall consist of not less than

forty-two (42) calendar weeks with a minimum of 200 class days
inclusive of examination days.
The New Elementary School Curriculum Time
Allotment – Mins. Per Day
Daily Time Allotment
Learning Areas I II III IV V VI

Character Building 20-30 20-30 20 20 20 20

Activities
Filipino 60 60 60 60 60 60
English 60 60 60 60 60 60
Mathematics 40 40 40 40 40 40
Civics and Culture 40 40 40 - - -
History/Geography/Civics 40 40 40
Science and Health 40 40 40 40
Arts and Physical Ed 40 40 40 40
Home Economics and 40 60 60
Livelihood Education

Total Minutes Daily 220-230 220-230 300 340 360 360

The Learning Areas in the NESC
■ Character Building Activities
It involves homeroom activities that will lead to the development of
health habits, moral and spiritual values, love of country and concern for
one’s fellowmen.

■ Filipino
This area provides for the development of competencies to listening,
speaking, reading, writing and thinking in Filipino.

■ English
This area provides for the development of competencies in listening,
speaking; reading, writing and thinking in English. Listening competency
includes such skills as auditory discrimination and comprehensional
speaking.
■ Mathematics
The daily period in Mathematics in Grades I, II, III includes a study of
the four fundamental operations, fractions, metric and local
measurements, the use of money and their application to practical
problems based on real life activities.
In Grades IV, V, and VI the child is expected to conceptualize the
meaning of ratio and proportion, angles, planes, and spatial figures, and
scales, maps and graphs.

 Civics and Culture

This area deals with the study of the relationship of man to society
and government, his role, duties and responsibilities, rights and privileges
as a citizen of his country and the world.
Civics and Culture is a learning area in Grades I and II, the area of
Civics and Culture in Grade III will be expanded to include History,
Geography, and Work Ethic. In Grades IV and VI, History, Geography, and
Civics will replace Civics and Culture.
■ History/ Geography/ Civics
In Grades IV to VI, History, Geography and Civics will replace Civics
and Culture. This area is a learning package composed of history,
geography, and Civics.
History provides a time continuum of peoples, problems and
achievements, ideas and events in the past that have influenced the
present; changes and modifications in the structure of society.
Geography provides a spatial perspective of man’s physical and
socioeconomic development and his ways of adapting and managing it.

■ Science and Health

Aims to help the Filipino child gain functional understanding of
science concepts and principles linked with real-life situations, acquire
science skills as well as scientific attitudes.
■ Arts and Physical Education
This learning area involves music, art and physical education. The
teacher/ teachers shall plan the 40-minute period in such a way that each
area will receive equal time allotment and that situations will be provided
for the integration of learning.

■ Home Economics and Livelihood Education

It focuses on the development of responsible and worthy home
membership that will lead to the strengthening of the family.
THE NEW SECONDARY EDUCATION CURRICULUM
(NSEC) DECS Order No. 11 s. 1989
The 1989 Secondary Education Development Program’s (SEDP)
response to the following needs:
a. Continue the pupil development started by the Program for Decentralized
Educational Development (PRODED);
b. Improve the quality of high school graduates and internal efficiency of the
System; and
c. Expand access to quality secondary education.

The New Secondary Education Curriculum (NSEC) of the SEDP is

cognitive-affective-manipulative based. Focus is on substantive and process
content, values development, productivity and technology.
The eight subject areas in the NSEC are:

1. English
2. Mathematics
3. Science and Technology
4. Technology and Home Economics
5. Filipino
6. Araling Panlipunan
7. Edukasyon Pangkalusugan, Pangkatawan at Musika (Physical
Education, Health and Music)
8. Edukasyon sa Pagpapahalaga (Values Education)
 The NSEC shall be implemented in all types of public and private
high schools, including technical and vocational institutions and high
school departments of state colleges and universities starting the school
year 1989-1990.

School Year Level

1989-1990 First Year
1990-1991 Second Year
1991-1992 Third Year
1992-1993 Fourth Year
Legal Bases of the New Secondary
Education Curriculum