THE DEPARTMENT of Education aims to further improve its literacy and numeracy programs to make the K to 12 curriculum relevant to produce job-ready and responsible citizens.

Vice President and Secretary of Education Sara Duterte said that her agency will revitalize its Reading, Science and Technology, and Math programs as part of the MATATAG: Bansang Makabata, Batang Makabansa agenda.

“We will revise the K to 12 Curriculum to make them more responsive to our aspiration as a nation, to develop lifelong learners who are imbued with 21st-century skills, discipline, and patriotism,” Duterte said.

“We will reduce the number of learning areas in K to 3 from 7 to 5 to focus on foundational skills in literacy and numeracy in the early grades, particularly among disadvantaged students,” she added.

DepEd, she added, will embed the culture of peace in the curriculum, which is vital in ensuring learners will lead the promotion of peace and order in war-inflicted areas.

“We will integrate “peace competencies” such as social awareness, responsibility, care for the environment, value for diversity, self-esteem, positive character, resilience, and human security into the various learning areas of the K to 12 Curriculum,” Duterte said.

The DepEd chief shared that her agency is finalizing the review of the K to 10 curriculum while the Senior High School curriculum is currently under review.

DepEd will also improve English proficiency while recognizing linguistic diversity through the review of the Mother Tongue-based Multilingual Education Policy implementation.

The agency will also engage with the Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and industry partners to address skills mismatches of Senior High School graduates.