Metro Manila, Philippines – The school year 2026 to 2027 will begin on June 8, the Department of Education (DepEd) said, as it issued the guidelines for the three-term academic calendar.
In the memorandum dated April 16, the agency said classes will be from June 8 to April 8, 2027 for a total of 201 school days.
It will be the first three-term calendar from the usual four periods. The policy covers public elementary and secondary schools and community learning centers.
DepEd said the set-up will be optional for private schools, Philippine overseas schools, and state universities offering basic education, at least for the incoming school year.
“Three-term school calendar provides an organized structure that protects instructional time while supporting enriched teaching-learning experiences. Longer and more coherent academic terms allow deeper mastery of competencies and more deliberate pacing of lessons,” the agency said.
Three-term calendar
The term will be divided into the following months:
Term 1: June 8 to September 15
Term 2: September 16 to December 18
Term 3: January 4 to April 8
The first term would have an opening block from June 8 to 11, allotted for orientation for learners and parents, administration of initial assessments, and submission of required data.
Teaching and learning activities, as well as the structured “ARAL program” remediation sessions, are under the so-called instructional block.
The DepEd said school-related activities and learner support programs during this period “shall be strategically scheduled, preferably outside class hours” to minimize impact on instructional time.
Each term has a two-week “end-of-term” block such as computation of grades, completion of forms, and co-curricular activities, among others.
The agency said national activities shall be scheduled at the end of the school year break, or from April 9 to May 9.
