Senate approves bill giving DepEd flexibility in teaching methods

The Senate on Monday, March 9, 2026, approved on third and final reading Senate Bill No. 1899, a measure that gives the Department of Education (DepEd) flexibility in choosing basic education methods.

Sponsored by Senator Bam Aquino, the bill amends Section 5 of Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 by removing the requirement to follow a single teaching approach.

The DepEd will instead be allowed to adopt methods or pedagogical approaches it deems most effective in helping students progress to the next grade level.

Pedagogical approaches refer to the strategies and techniques teachers use to deliver lessons.

“When we provide flexibility in our curriculum, we allow our teachers to do what they do best. This is a key step towards addressing our education crisis. And we hope that with the passage of this measure, we begin the journey towards improving our students’ proficiency and literacy,” Aquino said.

Aquino clarified that the measure does not eliminate the spiral progression approach, but removes the strict requirement to use it, allowing schools and teachers to apply it when appropriate.

The bill is authored by Senator Loren Legarda and co-authored by Aquino, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, and Senator Joel Villanueva.

It aims to keep the curriculum relevant through a more structured process of development and review.

Under the measure, DepEd is required to review both the curriculum and its teaching approaches at least once every five years to assess their effectiveness.

-Paraluman News