President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has approved a major reform in the country’s basic education system, adopting a three-term academic calendar for public schools beginning School Year 2026-2027 to improve learning continuity and outcomes.

The directive, endorsed during the 8th meeting of the Economic and Development Council at Malacañang, aims to address long-standing disruptions in the school calendar caused by typhoons, extreme heat, and other national events that often compress learning time.

Under the new system, the traditional four grading periods will be streamlined into three academic terms, each designed with longer and more focused instructional blocks.

The first term will include 54 instructional days and a 10-day assessment period, featuring a five-day opening block. The second term will have 55 instructional days and a similar 10-day assessment window, while the third term will run for 61 instructional days with a shorter six-day assessment period.

Education officials said the revised calendar is expected to reduce lesson fragmentation, provide more uninterrupted teaching time, and allow structured recovery periods for students affected by class suspensions.

For teachers, the shift eliminates one grading cycle, easing administrative workload while introducing dedicated consolidation periods and up to 32 hours of professional development. Built-in wellness intervals are also expected to help address recurring workload pressures.

The Department of Education (DepEd) said preparations are underway for nationwide implementation, noting that consultations have already been conducted with various education stakeholders despite the absence of pilot testing.

Marcos emphasized that the reform must preserve the mandated 180-day classroom contact time for both students and teachers, even in the face of disruptions.

He also directed the education department to ensure that the shorter academic structure will adequately support struggling learners, align with the semestral system used in Senior High School, and guarantee readiness across schools nationwide.

The move forms part of the administration’s broader push to strengthen education quality while building resilience in the system, ensuring that learning continues despite recurring interruptions.