MODULE 2:

LESSON 1: BACKGROUND, RATIONALE, AND DEVELOPMENT OF MELCS

ACTIVITY 1: Answer the following reflective questions in your Study Notebook:

1. The closure of schools around the world due to the global pandemic posed serious challenges on the delivery of
quality basic education. As a teacher, what do you think are the fundamental concerns in terms of curriculum
standards that need to be addressed in order to ensure learning continuity? Cite a specific example. Do you think
these concerns could be solved by teachers alone? Why or why not?

Answer:
Access to quality education remains a priority of the Philippine government. In ensuring that every Filipino child has
access to education, the Department of Education is preparing measures to ensure that this fundamental right is
unhampered and accessible to everyone, all while ensuring that children are provided utmost protection against the
threat of COVID-19. UNESCO reiterates its stand in spite of the circumstances: “Education cannot wait. If learning
stops, we will lose human capital.”

The MELCs can be used under similar circumstances as a mechanism to ensure education continuity (curriculum
dimension). The MELCs serve as one of the guides for teachers as they address the instructional needs of learners
while ensuring that curriculum standards are maintained and achieved.
MELC is intended to assist schools in navigating the limited number of school days as they employ multiple delivery
schemes by providing them ample instructional space.

2. Even prior to the spread of COVID-19 that eventually led to the closure of schools nationwide, the congested
curriculum has been a perennial problem of teachers (Andaya, 2018). This is perceived to be one of the hindering
factors on the poor performance of Filipino learners. Do you agree with this observation? Why or why not?

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ACTIVITY 2.
Familiarize yourself with the course reading on the Development and Design of the MELCs.
After going through the document, provide a brief and concise response to the following
guide questions. Write your answers in your Study Notebook.

1. What are the general and specific purposes of the development of MELCs?

The release of the MELCs is not just a response to addressing the challenges of the current pandemic but is also part
of the Department’s long-term response to the call of SDG4 to develop resilient education systems, most especially
during emergencies. The MELCs can be used under similar circumstances as a mechanism to ensure education
continuity (curriculum dimension). They serve as one of the guides for teachers as they address the instructional needs
of learners while ensuring that curriculum standards are maintained and achieved.

2. How does curriculum review aid in the identification of essential learning competencies?

The review focused on articulation within and across learning areas and grade levels, which led to the identification of
gaps, issues, and concerns. Moreover, areas for improvement that would enhance the learning engagement,
experience, and outcomes were identified and consequent solutions were recommended.

3. What is the difference between essential learning competencies and desirable learning competencies?

Essential learning competencies were defined as what the students need, considered indispensable, in the teaching-
learning process to build skills to equip learners for subsequent grade levels and consequently, for lifelong learning.
On the other hand, desirable learning competencies were defined as what may enhance education but may not be
necessary in building foundational skills.

4. How were the most essential learning competencies identified? What were the decisions made in order
to trim down the number of the essential learning competencies further?

In determining the criteria for the selection of the MELCs, the Department collaborated with stakeholders from
ACTRC, during which the descriptor – ENDURANCE – was considered the primary
determining factor. A learning competency is considered enduring if it remains with learners long after a test or unit of
study is completed or if it is useful beyond a single test or unit of study.

Necessary in this process is the decision whether a learning competency is to be retained, merged,
dropped, or rephrased. As a general rule, a learning competency is retained if it satisfies the endurance criterion which
greatly contributes to life-long learning and is a prerequisite skill to the next grade level. Two or more learning
competencies are merged or clustered if they have the same objective or learning intention and can therefore be
combined into one comprehensive learning competency.

5. What is the importance of the MELCs in ensuring the delivery of quality instruction?

It is advantageous for students to learn the concepts and skills in the MELCs through meaningful activities and
scenarios relatable to them and within the context of the students’ own environment. The MELCs are implementable
as long as the designed activities also teach the procedures and processes on how and when to apply those knowledge
and skills in a given context. With these, Filipino learners are guaranteed relevant and quality basic education despite
the current health crisis.

ACTIVITY 3.
Prepare a copy of your learning area’s original K-12 Curriculum Guide and corresponding list of MELCs.
Go to the sections of the curriculum guide and MELCs that are relevant to your instructional needs. Copy
and accomplish the following table in your Study Notebook and compare the two documents to determine
which learning competencies were retained, dropped, or merged.

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 K to 12 Learning Competencies MELCs

Merged/Clustered

Retained

Dropped n/a

K to 12 Learning
Competencies
MELCs

ACTIVITY 4.
In your LAC Session, discuss and share your answers to Activities 1-3 in this lesson. Discuss any questions
about the MELCs that need clarification as well. Share your thoughts and let your co-teachers articulate
their insights regarding your questions. Jot down all the insights shared in the discussion, including your
own, in your Study Notebook.

LESSON 2: UNPACKING AND COMBINING MELCS INTO LEARNING OBJECTIVES

ACTIVITY 1.
Familiarize yourself with the course reading on Unpacking and Combining the MELCs. After reading the
document, provide a brief and concise response to the following guide questions in your Study Notebook:

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1. What is the importance of unpacking and combining the MELCs?

The identification of MELCs intends to provide instructional space among field partners/implementers to deliver
quality instruction amidst the limited learning modalities and shortening of the school year.

2. What considerations must be taken in unpacking and combining the MELCs? Explain
each.

● Alignment on the Content and Performance Standards - The MELCs are not a departure from the standards-based
design, which is one of the main features of the K to 12 Curriculum. In fact, there are no MELCs without the
content and performance standards.
● Prerequisite knowledge and skills - It is worth noting that the identified MELCs cater to higher order cognitive
demands. As such, lower cognitive demand may be considered first in creating learning objectives. This ensures
that prerequisite knowledge and skills that would enable the achievement of MELCs, and eventually the content
and performance standards, are addressed.
● Logical sequence of learning objectives - Since the intention of unpacking the MELCs is to provide systematic
learning experiences for learners, it is incumbent that the unpacked learning objectives follow a logical sequence.

3. Do all the MELCs need to be unpacked or combined? Why or why not?

ACTIVITY 2.
1. Form a group of four members within your LAC, preferably with fellow teacher’s in your respective
learning area.

2. Using the curriculum guide and a list of the MELCs, choose MELCs in the first quarter and unpack
these into learning objectives.

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 3. Each team will present their unpacked learning objectives. Discussion and processing will follow
each presentation. Suggestions and insights from each group will be considered in enhancing the
learning objectives.

Repeat the above process but instead of unpacking, each team will now combine at least two MELCs of
their choice. Group deliberation will be observed in order to arrive at a consensus. Discuss and jot down
the synthesis of the presentations in your Study Notebook.

ACTIVITY 3.
Submit your Activity 2 Outputs to your LAC Leader. Make sure to keep a copy of your outputs.

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 For months now, our united efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic are producing promising results in
defeating the unseen threat. Still, our country and the world at large are facing new challenges brought
about by this unforeseen public health crisis. As we continue to confront the issues brought about by the
pandemic, we in the Department of Education (DepEd) are addressing challenges in the basic education
through the Learning Continuity Plan (LCP), which will be in effect by the time School Year 2020-2021
opens on August 24, 2020.The LCP is our major response and our commitment in ensuring the health,
safety, and well-being of our learners, teachers, and personnel in the time of COVID-19 while finding ways
for education to continue amidst the crisis for the upcoming school year. Putting it into perspective, we have
delayed the opening of classes to ensure that our learners and teachers are given time and be properly
equipped to adjust to this new learning environment. Our policies will also be continuously guided by
science and by the advice of our health experts. Education can and must continue but only under the
conditions and health protocols set by the DOH and the World Health Organization (WHO). We have
repeatedly consulted and collaborated with our partner institutions and organizations in crafting the LCP,
which includes key features on K-12 curriculum adjustments; alignment of learning materials; various
modalities of delivery; and corresponding teacher and parent/guardian training for homeschooling. These
modifications on certain policies and practices were necessary steps in adapting to the “new normal” while
still remaining true to the framework of Sulong EduKalidad and Education Futures. On school opening, we
would like to emphasize that it will not necessarily mean that teachers and learners will undergo the
traditional in-classroom set-up by August this year. In the LCP, the choice and contextualization of the
learning delivery modality of schools will depend on the local COVID-19 situation as well as access to
certain learning platforms. Even as we set policies in the central office, we will primarily consider local
public health conditions in adjusting our LCP. Preventive measures will be put in place to secure the health
and well-being of our personnel and our learners under this new normal. Access, as we are all aware, is
another issue of utmost concern and we have devised various modalities to ensure that online learning is
only one of the options among all others in this new learning environment. Our field units will determine the
most appropriate combinations or strategies for every locality as we look into addressing equity concerns of
our constituents in this new arrangement. It is our ultimate goal to facilitate the safe return of our teachers
and learners to schools without the worry for COVID-19 but until such time is already possible, we will do
everything in our capacity to carry on so that basic education will still be available despite the crisis. We
expect a grueling transition and we will need the help and support of all our stakeholders. There will be birth
pains in this path but we look forward in having our teachers, our parents, our learners, and our
communities as allies who will work with us to provide valuable insights and contributions. We reiterate the
importance of education to bring normalcy to the lives of our learners but their health and safety, ultimately,
is most important.

Access to quality education remains a priority of the Philippine government. In ensuring that every Filipino child has
access to education, the Department of Education is preparing measures to ensure that this fundamental right is
unhampered and accessible to everyone, all while ensuring that children are provided utmost protection against the
threat of COVID-19.
 
In today’s Beat COVID-19 Virtual Presser, Health Undersecretary Dr. Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire and Department
of Education (DepEd) Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction Diosdado San Antonio discussed the
government’s plan for the continuation of classes amid the new normal. 
 
San Antonio identified four learning delivery modalities (LDMs), or ways to teach, that educators can apply\ to ensure
that quality education can still be provided across the country. 
 

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These LDMs include face-to-face interaction, distance learning, blended learning, and homeschooling. With face-to-
face interactions currently limited due to physical distancing measures, distance learning is a viable option as it
employs the use of online materials, printed modules, and lessons broadcast over television and radio.  
 
According to San Antonio, educational institutions and teachers can also blend both face-to-face and distance learning
depending on what will best keep students, teachers, and other personnel safe. 
 
San Antonio explained that DepEd has aligned its Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP) with the
Department of Health’s (DOH) minimum health and safety guidelines for COVID-19. The four key areas include
increasing physical and mental resilience of both teachers  and learners, reducing transmission, reducing contact, and
reducing the duration of infection along with other strategies. 
 
San Antonio also said that the Department of Education cannot implement these measures alone, saying, "panahon na
para sa bayanihan."   
 
“At ang mga Pilipino, pag nagtulong-tulong, walang imposible,” stressed San Antonio. “Kung ang lahat po sa atin ay
magbukas ng kalooban, kaisipan, at kakayahan upang tumulong sa mga kabataan, na patuloy pa ring natututo kahit sa
ibang paraan—hindi sa tradisyonal na  pagpunta sa paaralan—naniniwala po ako na hindi tayo mabibigo sa hangarin
ng ating mahal na Kalihimna si Secretary Lalaine Briones na ang pagkakatuto ay tuloy-tuloy kahit mayroong krisis.” 
 
Singh-Vergeire expressed that it’s difficult to ask the public to cooperate with the current solutions across the various
sectors but reiterated that the DOH recommends that classes stay suspended until a vaccine is found. 
 
“Naiintindihan namin na malaking hamon ito sa karamihan ng mga Filipino pagka’t di lahat ay mayroong internet
connection,” said Vergeire. “Ngunit dapat lagi nating priority ang kaligtasan at kalusugan ng ating mga anak bago ang
kanilang edukasyon, hanggang sa magkaroon  natayo ng garantiya na magkakaron na sila ng proteksiyon laban sa
virus.”