The Department of Education (DepEd) will no longer be constrained to use the spiral progression approach in the basic education curriculum under a new law that gives the agency flexibility to determine the teaching approach it deems most effective in ensuring students’ mastery of knowledge and skills.
Republic Act No. 12322 amends Section 5 of Republic Act No. 10533, or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, allowing DepEd to employ the approach it deems most effective in ensuring students’ mastery of knowledge and skills after each level.
The measure lapsed into law on Aug. 2, 2026, without President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s signature, in accordance with Article VI, Section 27(1) of the Constitution.
Under the amended provision, the curriculum “shall employ the approach deemed most effective by the DepEd to ensure mastery of knowledge and skills after each level.”
The amendment removes the specific requirement under RA 10533 for the basic education curriculum to use the spiral progression approach.
The previous law provided that the curriculum “shall use the spiral progression approach to ensure mastery of knowledge and skills after each level.”
Instead of prescribing that approach, RA 12322 gives DepEd discretion to determine the pedagogical approach it considers most effective for achieving mastery of knowledge and skills.
The new law requires the curriculum and the approach adopted by DepEd to be reviewed at least once every five years to determine their relevance and effectiveness in achieving educational goals, following a systematic curriculum development process determined by the agency.
Other curriculum standards under the Enhanced Basic Education Act remain unchanged, including requirements that the curriculum be learner-centered, inclusive, developmentally appropriate, relevant, responsive, research-based, culture-sensitive, contextualized and global.
The measure is a consolidation of House Bill No. 5939 and Senate Bill No. 1899, passed by the House of Representatives on May 6, 2026, and the Senate on May 5, 2026, respectively.
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