A senior high school teacher who challenged a new Department of Education (DepEd) policy before the Supreme Court (SC) warned that proposed changes to the K-12 curriculum could threaten teachers’ workloads and job security, particularly in private schools.

John Barry Tayam, a teacher at San Beda College Alabang, said the restructuring under DepEd Memorandum Order No. 012, s. 2026 may turn specialized senior high school subjects into electives, potentially reducing teaching loads for educators handling strands such as ABM, STEM, HUMSS, and TVL.

Tayam explained that unlike public school teachers with plantilla positions, educators in private schools may face uncertainty if students no longer choose specialized subjects.

“Sa private school… baka magkataon na walang load na ituturo,” he said, adding that some teachers are probationary or dependent on the number of classes assigned to them. ("In private schools, there may be instances where there are no teaching loads to handle.")

The teacher filed a petition before the SC questioning the legality of the memorandum, which he said seeks to remove traditional senior high school strands and reduce core subjects from 15 to five.

He argued that the changes could weaken the quality of education and create confusion ahead of School Year 2026-2027.

“Paano natin masasabi na magbibigay ng quality education kung ‘yung 15 core subjects ay babawasan at gagawin na lamang lima?,” Tayam asked ("How can we say this will provide quality education if the 15 core subjects will be reduced to only five?")

He also raised concerns over the removal or integration of subjects such as research and Philippine history into a smaller set of core subjects.

Apart from the impact on teachers, Tayam warned that the expanded work immersion component could also create logistical challenges for students.

According to him, the revised curriculum would require senior high school students to undergo longer work immersion periods at the same time college students are completing internships and on-the-job training.

“So baka hindi kayanin ng mga private institutions natin, kukulangin din tayo ng mga companies na tatanggap ng mga interns and work immersion at the same time,” he said. ("So our private institutions may not be able to handle it, and we may also lack companies that can accommodate interns and work immersion students at the same time.")

Tayam further questioned the implementation process, claiming the curriculum changes were introduced abruptly and without sufficient pilot testing.

“Madami ding pagbabago ngayon na nangyayari sa DepEd sa curriculum kasi biglang without pilot testing, nag-try term or three quarters biglaan 'yung ating curriculum for school year 2026-2027 so masyadong magiging magulo,” he said. ("There are also many changes happening in the DepEd curriculum right now because, without pilot testing, they suddenly tried implementing a term or three-quarter system for School Year 2026-2027, so it could become very confusing.")

He also alleged “grave abuse of discretion” on the part of the Department of Education after officials reportedly declared the pilot testing successful before the school year had ended and before a full evaluation had been completed.

“Dineclare nila 'to na sinabi na successful daw 'yung pilot testing nung February pa lang na hindi pa tapos 'yung school year and walang naging evaluation, walang naging study,” he said. ("They declared it successful as early as February even though the school year had not yet ended and there had been no evaluation or study conducted.")

Tayam also cited possible inconsistencies between DepEd’s curriculum revisions and policies of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), noting that CHED had postponed reductions in general education subjects until 2028.

The petition seeks to stop the implementation of the revised curriculum framework, with Tayam asking the high court to issue a temporary restraining order or status quo ante order before classes resume in June.