THE REVISED K to 10 curriculum will have fewer learning competencies, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said on Friday.

The new curriculum will be launched this month.

“The initial analysis is they took note of the problem of congestion. We’re teaching too many things, too many competencies to our children, that we end up learning nothing. So they address that by reducing the number of competencies by almost 70% actually,” Gatchalian said.

“So that’s a lot of reduction in competencies, but we’re still at par when compared to Singapore or to Malaysia in terms of the number of competencies,” he added.

The competencies for Kinder to Grade 3 will focus on the fundamentals – Reading, Math and Writing.

“‘Yung competencies parang for example, when you teach Math, let’s say addition, that’s a competency or subtraction, that’s competency. So they will lessen that. And four key stage one, which is kindergarten to green three, they will focus on foundational skills, reading, math, and writing,” he explained.

“So these are the skills that we want to build because, admittedly, after the World Bank report, in which 90% of our children cannot read a simple story, there’s now a direction to strengthen the fundamental or the foundational skills of our children in what they call the key stage one which is kindergarten all the way to Grade 3,” the senator said.

“So children can study, teachers can prepare and they will not be overloaded with too many things that they are studying,” he added.