The proposed three-term school calendar is a major reform in how the school year is organized. It does more than adjust 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 promotes 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 4 to 6
The Budget of Work for Grades 4 to 6 supports learners as they move from foundational learning to more advanced and independent study. At this stage, learners begin to engage more deeply with subject content and develop stronger comprehension, critical thinking, and application skills. Because of this, instruction needs to be well-paced, organized, and responsive to their growing learning needs.
By distributing competencies, lessons, and classroom activities more evenly across the three terms, the BOW helps create a smoother and more balanced flow of instruction. It gives learners enough time to strengthen core skills and deepen subject understanding. At the same time, it helps teachers maintain continuity in instruction and avoid unnecessary lesson congestion.
For teachers, the reorganized Budget of Work for Grades 4 to 6 serves as a clear guide for planning lessons, tracking learner progress, and providing timely support. It aligns instruction with the Opening Block, Instructional Block, and End-of-Term Block in each term. As a result, teachers can better manage teaching, assessment, intervention, and enrichment throughout the school year.
Budget of Work for Grade 4
Budget of Work for Grade 5
Budget of Work for Grade 6
