Science part of Grades 1 and 2 curriculum

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd) said that Science was being taught in Grades 1 and 2 integrated into the different learning areas, and there were no plans to remove these contents in the curriculum.

In tweets issued by DepEd in reaction to a furor that has erupted in social networking sites, DepEd belied that it was dropping Science as a subject in Grades 1 and 2, stressing that Science was not a separate subject in the said grades.

It was learned that the controversy over the alleged dropping of Science as a subject in Grades 1 and 2 was a result of Science not being listed as one of the subjects in the enhanced K (Kindergarten) to 12 curriculum being rolled out by DepEd as they pursue the rollout of the K to 12 basic education curriculum reform of the Aquino administration.

“It’s integrated in learning areas in grades 1 to 2,” DepEd posted in its official Twitter account last week.

“It hasn’t been taught as a separate subject in grades 1 and 2 since 1983,” it said further.

Science concepts are said to be integrated in various subjects in Grades 1 and 2.

In separate tweets Monday, DepEd also noted that the absence of Science as a separate subject in the early grades was also practiced in the basic education curriculum of other countries, even developed ones like Singapore.

“Among Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines, only Brunei teaches science separately in grade 1,” DepEd said.

“It (Science ) hasn’t been taught as a separate learning area in Grades 1 and 2 since SY 1983-1984,” Education Secretary Armin Luistro told the STAR in a text message.

“Among Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, only Brunei teaches Science separately in Grade 1,” he said.