Private schools may adopt their own class calendar instead of the three-term grading system recently approved by the Department of Education (DepEd), Education Secretary Sonny Angara confirmed.
Speaking to reporters during a school visit in Quezon City on Tuesday, Angara said private institutions have the flexibility to decide whether to follow the compressed academic schedule.
“Private schools are more flexible. They’re free to have their own school timeframe,” he said.
Angara emphasized that private schools must still comply with the prescribed curriculum and the minimum number of school days.
An alliance of private schools earlier said they are free to implement a separate learning calendar.
“Even before this proposal, private schools already had flexibility. Many private schools already have a three-grading-period school calendar,” said Joseph Noel Estrada of the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines.
Angara also clarified that the three-term grading system differs from a trimester setup, addressing public confusion.
“Some thought we would implement a trimester every term. But it’s really just a three-term grading period because the same subjects are taken—the only difference is the grading periods,” he said.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “Private schools may not use three-term calendar, Angara confirms”
