DepEd: Trimester shift not required for private schools

MANILA, Philippines — Private schools may continue using their own academic calendar structures even as public schools prepare to shift to a three-term system beginning in school year 2026-2027, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.

Angara clarified that private schools are not required to follow the Department of Education’s academic calendar, noting that they have long been given flexibility in setting their own schedules.

“Private schools are not really covered. Even in the school year, they don’t follow it, they have flexibility. The DepEd graduation is on March 30 and 31, private schools don’t, others in May, in June, so private schools are really more flexible,” Angara said during a chance interview in Quezon City on Thursday, March 26.

His statement came after the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) said private schools are not obligated to adopt the trimester calendar.

COCOPEA managing director Joseph Noel Estrada said some private schools have already adopted a three-term structure, but added that a law would be needed to make such a system mandatory for all basic education institutions.

Under the new setup for public schools, the first term will run from June to September, the second from September to December, and the third from January to March.

The Department of Education defended the policy, saying it was crafted after extensive consultations involving teachers, school heads, parents, students, and representatives from both public and private schools. The agency issued the explanation amid criticism from some teachers’ groups.

Support for the reform has also come from school leaders’ organizations.

The National Association of Public Secondary School Heads Inc. (NAPSSHI) endorsed the move, describing it as a strategic reform aimed at improving the public education system.

NAPSSHI president Roland dela Cruz said the trimester calendar could help improve the distribution of lessons, encourage better mastery of subjects, lessen exhaustion, and support the mental well-being of learners and educators.

The Philippine Elementary School Principals Association has also expressed support for the new academic calendar.