Learning loss will be addressed if the existing curriculum in the basic education will be decongested and if Filipino learners should focus on functional literacy, a lawmaker said on Saturday.

According to Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo, the Department of Education is now piloting the new curriculum for Senior High School (Grades 11 and 12) in 800 schools across the country.

"Ang problema kasi natin masyadong congested 'yung curriculum. Aminin natin ang totoo, lalo na kung ganito may mga bagyo, nababawasan 'yun school days," Romulo, chairperson of the House committee on basic education, told this reporter in an interview in Pasig City.

"At saka 'yung mga teachers natin at mga students overworked na kaya tamang bawasan na natin ang curriculum," he added.

The Pasig lawmaker also said that learners should focus on reading, mathematics and science.

"Dapat hindi lang marunong magbasa pero naiintindihan yung binabasa, mag-focus na rin sa mathematics and science," he said.

According to him, the subjects Grades 1 and 2 have been reduced to 5, while the subjects for Grade 3 learners have been reduced to 6. Currently, they have 9 subjects.

"Pero lahat 'yun ay nakatungo sa functional literacy. Matalino naman talaga ang mga batang Pilipino, ang problema masyadong loaded 'yung curriculum natin. Dapat siguraduhin lang natin na marunong magbasa at naiintindihan nila ang kanilang binabasa," Romulo said.

"Gagamitin nya ang technology, sisiguraduhin nya 'yung mga interes nya, doon talaga sya patungo. Importante lang functional literacy " the lawmaker added.

Romulo pointed out that critical thinking is nothing without the functional literacy.

"Ang totoo lagi po pinag-uusapan ang critical thinking di ba? Pero kung wala kang functional literacy hindi ka aabot ng critical thinking. So dapat naka-focus tayo ngayon sa reading, reading, reading!" he said.

The existing curriculum for Grades 11 and 12, like for instance, is highly congested, according to Romulo, with 31 subjects.

"Ang dami tapos pagdating mo ng college dadagdagan ka pa ng bridging programs," he said.

"Sa Grades 11 and 12, magiging 5 nalang 'yung core subjects nila tapos 2 electives," the lawmaker added.

If decongested, students can still catch up on the lost school days due to class disruption caused by typhoons and other disasters through modular learning as long as students can really read and comprehend what they read, Romulo said.

"Sabi ko nga tutok lang tayo sa reading comprehension. Katulad ngayon one week walang pasok, kung nakatutok lang tayo na naiintindihan lang nila 'yung binabasa pwede na 'yung mga modules. Magtiwala lang tayo sa mga batang Pilipino at magagawa 'yun pag na-decongest natin ang curriculum," he said.

"Hopefully by next year or two years ma-decongest na natin 'yun curriculum," the lawmaker added. NEIL ALCOBER