PH schools open under new calendar
Signal Village National High School has opened the school year under a newly implemented tri-term academic calendar, with more than 8,000 students enrolled.
The school has over 350 teachers and about 50 support personnel, making it one of the largest institutions in the Taguig City and Pateros Schools Division.
“With the tri-term system, teachers can concentrate more on instructional planning and classroom engagement. We expect stronger skill development and more hands-on learning,” said Victoria Contreras, Head Teacher VI of Values Education and registered guidance counselor.
As the rainy season approaches, the school has reinforced its disaster preparedness systems, including clearly marked evacuation routes and regular coordination with disaster risk reduction officials.
Contreras said contingency plans are regularly discussed in teacher meetings, ensuring readiness for emergencies such as earthquakes, flooding or class suspensions.
“We also implement ADM (Alternative Delivery Mode) in case face-to-face classes cannot be held. We have been doing this since the pandemic, so teachers are always prepared,” she said.
Students also undergo structured discussions on school rules, safe behavior, and mental health awareness, while parents are engaged through scheduled orientations and community partnerships during Brigada Eskwela.
According to Assistant Principal Gladeline Lou Gonato, “we do not have problems with technology because we have support from the city government of Taguig,” which provides smart TVs in all classrooms and tablets for both teachers and learners.
Pilot school
Signal Village National High School is among the pilot schools for the implementation of the strengthened Senior High School curriculum, and according to teacher Jenny Caraga, performance has improved.
“Around 75 percent or more of students graduate with honors. Many students achieve high honors with general averages around 94.5 to 95,” she said.
“This is still a pilot implementation for Grade 12, so we are still observing its long-term impact. Previously, TechVoc (technical-vocational strand) students earned national certificates and were considered work-ready. We are still studying the effectiveness of the new curriculum,” she added.
Long-standing issues
“We need to embrace the transition. This curriculum serves as a blueprint for your future. Whether TechVoc or academic, what matters is what you become after completing it. Embrace it, learn from it, and value the opportunity,” she said in a message to students.
Not everybody agrees with the rosy picture. Public school teachers under Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines held a sunrise protest in Manila on Monday before classes, raising concerns over long-standing issues in the education sector as the school year opened.
“As a new school year begins, we are once again being confronted by the same old and worsening shortages. If there is anyone the government should be checking on, it is the teachers, school personnel, youth, and Filipino people who are facing a dual crisis in the economy and education,” said ACT chair Ruby Bernardo.
“Even before the expected onslaught of storms and other calamities this season, the education sector has long been battered by severe shortages of teachers, staff, classrooms, equipment, and facilities due to the government’s lack of priority and neglect,” she added.
In a phone call, Bernardo shared her observations when she visited Benigno Aquino Elementary School in Baseco district, the largest elementary school in Manila.
“Earlier, because it was Opening Block, enrollees were still not complete; some are still enrolling up to now,” she told the Inquirer, though she added that “opening of classes there went smoothly because of the preparation of the teachers and even the parents.”
Growing frustration
She also shared that while the school is congested, it is still trying to hold face-to-face classes because most students really do not have access to alternative delivery modes. “They would prefer to attend school in person,” she said, citing information from the school principal.
Bernardo also pointed to the financial and workload pressures facing teachers, saying many remain burdened by debt due to low salaries and inadequate benefits while struggling with heavy responsibilities that reduce the time available for classroom instruction.
Some teachers from Metro Manila and Calabarzon region gathered at Mendiola in Manila on Monday to call for the immediate approval of the proposed P15,000 across-the-board salary increase for public school teachers and Department of Education personnel.
Organized by the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), the demonstration reflected growing frustration among educators over what they described as the Marcos administration’s continued inaction on the long-standing salary increase proposal.
TDC national chair Benjo Basas said the government remained unresponsive to repeated appeals for higher pay, even as new policy changes in the education sector continue to expand teachers’ workloads and responsibilities.
