2026· International journal of research and innovation in social science· 0 citations
Abstract
The MATATAG Curriculum—formally adopted through Department of Education Order No. 013, Series of 2023—represents the most significant revision to the Philippine basic education curriculum since the K-12 reform of 2013, introducing a substantially decongested content framework, restructured Araling Panlipunan scope and sequence, and a strengthened emphasis on foundational competencies and values formation across all grade levels. As MATATAG moved from policy into classroom practice during the 2024-2025 school year, teachers—particularly those in geographically isolated, resource-constrained, and disaster-affected regions such as Eastern Visayas—became the primary mediators of curriculum change, translating ambitious national policy intentions into the daily realities of their classrooms with limited preparation time, uneven professional development support, and instructional material shortages. This qualitative case study explored the experiences, challenges, and pedagogical adaptations of Social Studies teachers implementing the MATATAG Curriculum in Eastern Visayas public secondary schools. Informed by Fullan's (2007) theory of educational change, Ball et al.'s (2012) policy enactment framework, and Shulman's (1986) Pedagogical Content Knowledge construct, the study engaged eighteen (18) purposively selected Social Studies teachers from public secondary schools across the six provinces of Eastern Visayas through in-depth semi-structured interviews, lesson plan document analysis, and focus group discussions. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke (2006). Six core themes emerged: (1) navigating the MATATAG transition without adequate preparation; (2) decongestion experienced as liberation and loss simultaneously; (3) the Araling Panlipunan restructuring and its pedagogical implications; (4) resource misalignment between curriculum intent and classroom reality; (5) locally adaptive curriculum enactment strategies; and (6) the MATATAG curriculum and teacher professional identity reconstruction. Implications for curriculum implementation policy, teacher professional development, and Social Studies education in Eastern Visayas are discussed.
The implementation of the MATATAG Curriculum in the Philippines introduced a standardized 45-minute instructional period to enhance curriculum efficiency and improve learning outcomes. However, the implications of this policy remain insufficiently explored, particularly in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA), where contextual and resource-related challenges substantially influence instructional delivery. This study explored the lived experiences of teachers implementing the 45-minute instructional period in GIDA schools in Sarangani Province, Philippines. Employing a qualitative phenomenological research design anchored in the interpretivist paradigm, the study examined how teachers experienced, interpreted, and responded to the instructional demands associated with shortened class periods. Ten licensed professional teachers teaching in Grade 4 and Grade 7 under the MATATAG Curriculum were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method. The findings revealed that the 45-minute instructional period significantly influenced instructional pacing, classroom interaction, learner engagement, and teachers' ability to provide differentiated instruction. Participants identified challenges related to compressed instructional time, including reduced opportunities for experiential learning, collaborative activities, in-depth discussions, and individualized learner support. Despite these constraints, teachers demonstrated considerable pedagogical adaptability through strategic lesson planning, prioritization of essential learning competencies, technology integration, and the implementation of pre-class learning strategies. These adaptive practices enabled teachers to maintain instructional continuity and maximize available instructional time despite contextual limitations. The study further revealed that the 45-minute instructional period functioned simultaneously as a pedagogical constraint and a catalyst for instructional innovation. The findings underscore the importance of context-responsive, learner-centered, and flexible approaches to curriculum implementation in geographically disadvantaged settings. The study recommends strengthening teacher professional development, enhancing instructional flexibility, and improving access to digital and alternative learning resources to support effective curriculum implementation in GIDA schools. Future studies may investigate the long-term effects of shortened instructional periods on learner achievement, instructional quality, and teacher well-being across diverse educational contexts.
Lhynelle Fe Felix, Francisco M. Espinosa· Psychology and Education: A...· 0 citations
Abstract: This study critically examines the implementation of Indonesia's Merdeka (Independent) Curriculum in history education at SMA Negeri 1 Kragan, investigating the disjuncture between policy aspirations and classroom practice within a post-colonial educational context. Drawing on qualitative case study methodology, the research reveals that while the curriculum offers progressive pedagogical flexibility, implementation remains constrained by overlapping curricular frameworks, insufficient teacher professional development, and inadequate institutional communication networks. Teachers navigate these constraints through self-directed learning and informal collaboration, yet the absence of systematic support undermines the curriculum's transformative potential. The findings demonstrate that meaningful curriculum reform in post-colonial settings requires sustained professional development, coherent transition strategies, and recognition of teacher agency. This study contributes to international conversations about educational change in the Global South, highlighting the complex interplay between policy innovation, institutional capacity, and pedagogical practice in diverse post-colonial societies.
Abstrak: Studi ini menganalisis secara kritis penerapan Kurikulum Merdeka dalam pendidikan sejarah di SMA Negeri 1 Kragan, dengan menyelidiki kesenjangan antara retorika kebijakan dan realitas ruang kelas di tengah latar belakang pascakolonial. Dengan mengadopsi rancangan studi kasus kualitatif, penelitian ini mengungkapkan bahwa meskipun kurikulum menawarkan kebebasan pedagogis yang progresif, implementasinya terhambat oleh regulasi yang tumpang tindih, pelatihan guru yang tidak memadai, serta jaringan komunikasi yang lemah. Para guru merespons melalui upaya belajar mandiri dan kolaborasi antarsejawat, namun ketiadaan dukungan kelembagaan meredam janji transformatif kurikulum tersebut. Temuan ini menegaskan bahwa reformasi substantif dalam konteks pascakolonial memerlukan pengembangan profesional yang berkelanjutan, rencana transisi yang eksplisit, serta perhatian yang layak terhadap otonomi guru, dan dengan demikian menggarisbawahi faktor-faktor kontekstual lokal yang signifikan.
Ihdha Tantri, R. Soeharso, Hany Nurpratiwi· Indonesian Journal of Histor...· 0 citations
This hermeneutic phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of five public elementary school teachers in one Schools Division of the Negros Island Region, Philippines, as they implemented the Department of Education’s MATATAG Curriculum. The study responds to a gap in existing MATATAG scholarship, which has remained largely policy-descriptive and has left largely unexamined how teachers experience the reform at the level of personal and professional meaning. Guided by Van Manen’s phenomenological approach and Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis, semi-structured, in-depth interviews conducted in English, Filipino, or Hiligaynon with teachers whose combined service spans well over a century produced a coding matrix of 150 coded statements mapped to twelve interrelated themes, organized here into four clusters: (a) encountering the reform through the weight of accumulated professional history and inadequate orientation, (b) absorbing systemic resource and design gaps through personal labor and improvisation, (c) undergoing emotional, agentive, and identity transformation largely without institutional accompaniment, and (d) redefining success, voicing policy advocacy, and confronting learner readiness as a systemic equity concern. Findings indicate that MATATAG’s implementation strain reflects a policy design and support gap rather than a failure of teacher performance or commitment; teachers sustained the reform’s delivery through what this study terms quiet custodianship, absorbing systemic shortfalls at personal cost so that their students would not feel them. As a small-sample qualitative inquiry situated in a single Schools Division, the study does not aim for statistical generalizability; its contribution lies instead in the interpretive depth and transferable resonance of the experiences documented. The study offers evidence-grounded recommendations for professional development redesign, binding material-delivery accountability, differentiation infrastructure, and formal channels for teacher voice in curriculum governance, and situates these within the broader literature on teacher agency and curriculum enactment.
Chaty M. Inson, Trudy C. Cerbo, PhD· International journal of res...· 0 citations
Tanzania’s 2024 revision of university teacher education creates an opportunity to connect campus-based study more closely with the daily work of teaching. This conceptual policy paper analyses the revised programme’s provisions for micro-teaching and teaching-practice cycles in nearby schools. It draws on document analysis of the revised programme, Tanzanian policy and regulatory documents, relevant national and international scholarship, and the author’s professional knowledge of the revision process. The analysis identifies five potential benefits: stronger theory–practice integration, more authentic professional learning, visible development through repeated teaching, deeper school–university collaboration, and shared assessment. It also identifies constraints that may undermine implementation, especially for universities with large cohorts: limited subject-specific placement capacity, mentor workload, supervision costs, timetable conflicts, and unequal opportunities to teach. In response, the paper proposes a semester-long model in which student teachers focus on one teaching subject at a time while completing repeated cycles of planning, teaching, observation, feedback, reflection, and re-teaching. Preparation in the second subject is retained but sequenced according to programme requirements and school capacity. The paper argues that implementation should be built around capacity-mapped school networks, formal partnership agreements, prepared school-based mentors, targeted university supervision, common assessment tools, and annual review. The model is offered as a testable implementation framework, not as an empirically validated solution. Its effectiveness should therefore be established through carefully monitored pilots across different institutional and geographical settings.
Unknown authors· East African Journal of Educ...· 0 citations
This study explored teachers’ experiences in implementing the MATATAG Araling Panlipunan 7 curriculum in Philippine Social Studies, focusing on curriculum goals and objectives, content and structure, instructional coherence, assessment alignment, responsiveness to learners, and the opportunities and challenges encountered during implementation. A qualitative descriptive research design was employed because it enabled an in-depth examination of teachers’ experiences and perspectives within actual school contexts without making causal claims about curriculum effectiveness. The study was conducted during School Year 2024–2026 in ten selected public secondary schools under the Schools Division Office of Ilocos Sur, Philippines, comprising six Mega Schools and four Large Schools. Purposive sampling was used to select 26 Araling Panlipunan 7 teachers with direct experience implementing the MATATAG Curriculum. Three teachers were selected from each Mega School and two from each Large School. Data were gathered through researcher-made semi-structured interviews covering participants’ profiles, perceptions, challenges, and coping mechanisms related to curriculum implementation. Interviews were conducted face-to-face or through Zoom following informed consent, audiorecorded, transcribed, and anonymized. Thematic analysis involved repeated transcript review, initial coding, categorization, pattern identification, and theme development. Teachers generally experienced MATATAG Araling Panlipunan 7 as more focused, coherent, relevant, and manageable than the previous curriculum. They particularly valued its clear objectives, streamlined content, logical progression, and alignment between competencies and assessment. Teachers also reported that localized activities and connections to learners’ lived experiences supported academic, personal, cultural, social, and civic development. However, implementation challenges included limited learning resources and references, technological demands, competing school responsibilities, and the need for additional knowledge and professional support. MATATAG Araling Panlipunan 7 was generally experienced as a positive and meaningful curriculum reform that promotes focused, coherent, contextualized, and competency-oriented learning. However, teachers’ experiences indicate that curriculum clarity alone does not ensure confident and effective implementation; adequate resources, professional learning, technological assistance, and institutional support remain important conditions for translating curriculum intentions into classroom practice.
Jessica Jin L. Tacla, J. K. M. Rabago· International Journal of Hum...· 0 citations
The implementation of the MATATAG Curriculum represents one of the most significant educational reforms
introduced by the Philippine Department of Education to improve learning quality through curriculum decongestion,
strengthened foundational competencies, and learner-centered instruction. As Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE)
emphasizes practical competencies, technical skills, and work readiness, its successful implementation under the
MATATAG Curriculum depends largely on teachers' capacity to adapt instructional practices while responding to
contextual challenges. This review synthesizes contemporary literature examining curriculum implementation, teacher
adaptation strategies, instructional practices, and institutional support relevant to Technology and Livelihood Education.
The review follows a systematic literature review approach by examining peer-reviewed journal articles, government policy
documents, conference proceedings, and international publications published primarily between 2020 and 2026. Literature
was retrieved from Scopus-indexed journals, ERIC, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Google Scholar, and official publications
of the Department of Education, UNESCO, and the OECD. The synthesis identifies recurring themes concerning teacher
preparedness, instructional resources, curriculum implementation challenges, professional development, learner-centered
pedagogy, technology integration, and administrative support. The literature consistently indicates that effective curriculum
implementation relies not only on curriculum design but also on teachers' professional competence, institutional readiness,
collaborative learning communities, and sustained policy support. Despite increasing scholarship on the MATATAG
Curriculum, limited empirical studies have specifically explored Technology and Livelihood Education teachers' lived
experiences, adaptation strategies, and instructional practices during implementation. This review establishes the scholarly
foundation for the present qualitative descriptive study by identifying existing knowledge, synthesizing current evidence,
and highlighting research gaps that warrant further investigation.
Eladia A. Canosa· International Journal of Inn...· 0 citations
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