The proposed three-term school calendar is a major reform in how the school year is organized. It does more than change dates. It improves the use of time in basic education by dividing the year into clearer and more purposeful periods.
Its main goal is to protect teaching time, reduce unnecessary interruptions, and create a more manageable school schedule for learners, teachers, and schools. As a result, schools can support more consistent instruction and make better use of learning time.
A key part of this reform is the reorganization of the Budget of Work (BOW) from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Under the three-term school calendar, the BOW is realigned so that learning competencies, lessons, and classroom activities are distributed more evenly across the year. This gives teachers and schools a clearer guide for instruction in each term. It also helps ensure that classroom teaching stays aligned with the new calendar structure.
The reorganized BOW also supports more realistic pacing. Instead of compressing lessons or making repeated adjustments due to interruptions, teachers can plan learning activities more effectively across the three terms. In addition, this supports better lesson delivery, assessment, remediation, and enrichment throughout the school year.
Grades 11 to 12
The Budget of Work for Grades 11 to 12 supports the more specialized and performance-based nature of senior high school education. At this level, learners take core subjects and track-specific courses that prepare them for higher education, employment, entrepreneurship, or middle-level skills development. Because of this, instruction must be well-organized, focused, and aligned with the goals of each learning area.
By distributing competencies, lessons, and classroom activities more evenly across the three terms, the BOW helps create a more balanced and manageable flow of instruction. It gives learners enough time to develop academic knowledge, practical skills, and readiness for life after senior high school. At the same time, it helps teachers manage content delivery and assessment more effectively across the school year.
For teachers, the reorganized Budget of Work for Grades 11 to 12 serves as a clear guide for lesson planning, classroom instruction, and learner assessment. It aligns teaching and learning activities with the Opening Block, Instructional Block, and End-of-Term Block in each term. As a result, teachers can better manage instruction, research work, performance tasks, immersion-related requirements, remediation, and enrichment.
Budget of Work for Grade 11
Budget of Work for Grade 12
