MATATAGnabata,MATATAGnabansa

The Department of Education (DepEd) announced its MATATAG: Bansang Makabata, Batang Makabansa agenda in January, which intends to finally fix the shortcomings, cracks, and holes in the Philippines’ basic education system, the K-12 curriculum and improve upon it by creating a more relevant curriculum to the students’ futures. While this will solve one of the nation’s current problems on a national level, how can we students contribute to our nation and become MATATAG students?

The cracks, holes, and shortcomings of the K-12 curriculum have become ever more visible to every student over the course of their high school journey, even here at SLSPI. We were promised that by undergoing the compulsory additional two years of high school, we would be better prepared for our college courses, and if we chose, could find immediate employment after graduating the 12th Grade. However, as Vice President and Secretary of Education Sarah Duterte eloquently put it, it was a promise that is still a promise.

Although advanced concepts and lessons were taught to prepare for respective college courses, there were too many subjects to keep track of and manage, with some not being as vital as others, thus inevitably and unintentionally losing attention to one and seeing performance plummet, that would affect the entire general weighted average grade. While the students were given a choice in Senior High to choose a strand that would prepare them for the future, the preparation could have started much earlier in education, and as discussed in the recent January 2023 Basic Education Report, cut some subjects, and focus on fundamentals as the current curriculum is too “cramped”.

Not every student is the same and has the same exact requirements or field to grow and develop in. Not everything can be learned from school, nor can a school teach everything a student needs to know. Thus, a student must be versatile, and to do so must enrich his foundation to account for every aspect of learning, through reading, science, technology, and math, which is one of the projects of the new

MATATAG agenda.

Although a student can grow past what the school provides, at the end of the day, the school is the foundation of every student and thus must be able to cater and facilitate his growth. Thus, to become a MATATAG student, individual effort with the support of the school is required.

Courses intended for various fields already exist through the K-12 curriculum. Special programs for Journalism, Arts, Social Sciences, and others exist to develop the skills and talents of various students and provide them with further preparation for their futures. Currently, not all high schools have these special programs, but with the support of the Department of Education and the new MATATAG agenda, this will surely be applied to the entire nation.

Through the MATATAG agenda, significant change is finally coming to our nation’s curriculum. Further support for the students, schools, and teachers is coming, and with it, a brighter future for our nation. Hopefully then, every student will become MATATAG and be prepared for their respective futures.

Thereintroduction of the curfew is a brilliant idea to block the growing lawlessness in our community.

We all must have heard the news: a man shot at gunpoint along the main Cannery road at night. A government employee’s attempted assassination just outside the plaza gate in broad daylight. An iota of malice and lawlessness has infiltrated our quaint municipality. Fear has festered, and everyone fears for their safety.

Alas, it has happened. Now we must react and retaliate. We must quench the disorder in our community. but firstly, we must ensure our own safety.

The Local Government Unit (LGU) of Polomolok has issued an Executive Order: no one, unless for express reason or purpose, must be outside their homes between 10 PM and 4 AM. A curfew has been established to promote the safety of children and their parents.

Polomolok is no stranger to curfews. Having recently suffered through the Covid-19 pandemic, wherein a similar curfew was established to reduce person-to-person contact, the inhabitants should understand the necessity of such a freedom-obstructing order. The sneaky students out on a night prowl, burnt-out workers looking for a break, and other denizens of the province’s nightlife