Senator Bam Aquino- Photo courtesy of Bam Aquino/Facebook.
Senator Bam Aquino called for a Senate inquiry into the Department of Education’s (DepEd) plan to adopt a trimester-based academic calendar for School Year 2026–2027.
Aquino said the proposal required careful examination, noting that major changes to the school system should be discussed publicly before being rolled out nationwide.
“Sisiguraduhin natin na may Senate Hearing tungkol sa repormang ito, para suriin at pag-usapan ito,” Aquino said, stressing the need for transparency.
He added that reforms of this scale should first go through broad consultations to ensure they address the needs of learners, teachers, and schools.
While expressing support for initiatives meant to narrow learning gaps and ease teachers’ workload, Aquino warned against hasty implementation of structural changes.
“Bagaman kinikilala natin ang pangangailangan para sa malawakang reporma, siguraduhin natin na hindi ito gawin ng padalus-dalos at dumaan nga sa tamang konsultasyon,” he said.
The DepEd earlier said it was studying the trimester setup as part of a broader effort to improve time management and teaching flexibility, with Education Secretary Sonny Angara saying detailed guidelines would be released after consultations with stakeholders.