MATATAG curriculum boosts student performance, spurs teacher collaboration—PIDS study

A recent study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) found that students under the MATATAG Curriculum performed better on assessments after a year of implementation, while teachers in participating schools reported stronger collaboration that may help improve classroom practices over time.

The study, “Teaching through Transition: What Influences Teachers’ Practices amidst Curriculum Reform?”, evaluated the curriculum's first year of implementation in selected public schools during School Year 2023–2024. It drew on teacher surveys, classroom observations, and assessments administered to about 15,000 students.

The findings come as the Department of Education (DepEd) continues to implement the MATATAG Curriculum nationwide in School Year 2026–2027, providing early evidence on how the reform affected teaching and learning during its pilot phase.

Introduced by DepEd to address learning losses and long-standing concerns over education quality, the MATATAG Curriculum aims to decongest learning competencies, strengthen foundational skills, balance cognitive demands, reinforce values education, and provide teachers with updated resources and training.

Researchers estimated that the revised curriculum led to a 0.34 standard deviation increase in student performance, with much of the improvement attributed directly to its streamlined design.

“This finding suggests that the curriculum design itself, perhaps through its rationalization of competencies and reduction of learning areas, makes learning and performance standards more digestible for students, directly impacting students’ performance in assessments,” the study explained.

Beyond its direct impact on student learning, the study found that the reform encouraged teachers to work more closely together on lesson planning, instructional strategies, and classroom concerns.

“While curriculum change influences teaching practices, it does so through professional collaborative culture rather than direct pedagogical shifts,” the authors said.

Teachers who collaborated more frequently with colleagues were also more likely to report stronger classroom practices, alongside better assessment and feedback strategies and a greater emphasis on reading literacy.

Classroom observations, however, revealed areas that still require attention.

While around 70% of observed classes demonstrated proficiency in classroom management and 66% in lesson delivery and assessment, more than half, or 52%, were rated non-proficient in differentiated instruction, which involves adapting lessons to learners' varying needs and abilities.

For the researchers, these findings highlight the importance of supporting teachers beyond one-time training activities.

“Recognizing that collaborative practices may be a mechanism through which other pedagogical improvements in the classroom emerge, creating space and incentives for teachers to work together on instructional improvement may yield greater returns than isolated training events,” the study said.

The researchers emphasized that sustained support for teachers, stronger professional learning communities, and continued investments in professional development will be critical to maximizing the reform’s long-term benefits.

“Realizing the full potential requires sustained commitment, strategic support for different aspects of implementation, and patience,” the study concluded.