The Department of Education (DepEd) revealed its plans of integrating Araling Panlipunan (AP) and Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health (MAPEH) into a new subject for students from Kindergarten to Grade 3.
DepEd said the new curriculum, which will be called Sibika, Sining at Kultura, Kasaysayan, at Kagalingang Pangkatawan (SiKaP), aims to provide students with the essential knowledge, skills, and cultural consciousness.
“The introduction of a new learning area in Key Stage 1 which is SiKaP intends to provide learners with essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes enabling them to develop personal and cultural consciousness in becoming active and creative members of their respective communities,” the Bureau of Curriculum Development’s (BCD) curriculum general shaping paper read.
It added that this is to focus on foundational literacy in the first key stage – Kindergarten to Grade 3 – to provide teachers and students with ample time to strengthen functional literacy, which includes reading comprehension.
The BCD noted that reading comprehension is one of the identified causes of low educational achievement among Filipino students.
“The 2022 Basic Education Curriculum addresses the need to complement the knowledge and skills development of learners with values development – making the curriculum more holistic as it strikes a balance between competence and character,” BCD stated. CF/with reports from Kenneth Paciente-ag