Parents who noticed their children's school year looks different this year are not imagining things. Starting School Year 2026 to 2027, the Department of Education replaced the long-running two-semester calendar with a new three-term system nationwide, and Bislig City's public schools are running on it along with every other division in the country.

The change is set out in DepEd Order No. 9, series of 2026, signed by Education Secretary Sonny Angara. Under the new calendar, classes began on June 8, 2026, and will run through April 8, 2027, covering a total of 201 class days.

What the three terms look like

Instead of two long semesters, the school year is now split into three terms, each built around the same three stages: an opening block for orientation and class organization, a main instructional period, and a closing block for assessments and performance tasks.

For Bislig's public schools, that breaks down as follows. Term 1 opened June 8 to 11, with regular classes running June 15 through September 1, followed by end-of-term activities from September 2 to 15. Term 2 covers instruction from September 16 to December 4, with end-of-term activities from December 7 to 18. Term 3 resumes in January, with classes running January 4 to March 23, 2027, and final assessments and closing activities from March 24 to April 8, 2027.

DepEd says the shorter, more clearly bounded terms are meant to improve lesson pacing, group instruction into longer uninterrupted blocks, and build in dedicated time for assessment and remediation between terms, including through the department's Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) program for students who need to catch up.

Bislig teachers were briefed ahead of the rollout

The DepEd Bislig City Division did not roll out the new system without preparation. On May 13, teachers from schools across the division gathered at the Bislig City Cultural and Sports Center for a Learning System Reform Policies Orientation, according to a DepEd Caraga news release. The session covered the incoming curriculum changes, updated assessment strategies, and inclusive education practices tied to the reform, alongside workshops and open forums for teachers to raise questions.

Division officials at the orientation stressed that teachers would be central to making the reform work in the classroom, and that the shift called for ongoing adjustment as the first term under the new calendar got underway a few weeks later.

What it means for Bislig families right now

With Term 1 already past its midpoint, the next milestone for Bislig students and parents is the end-of-term stretch from September 2 to 15, when schools will run assessments and performance tasks before moving into Term 2. Report cards and progress checks are likely to follow a different rhythm than the old semester system, since each term now closes out on its own instead of waiting for a full semester to wrap up.

DepEd has said private schools may also adopt the three-term structure, as long as they still meet the required number of school days, so the calendar is not limited only to public school families in Bislig.

Bislig Today will follow up as the Schools Division of Bislig City reaches the end of Term 1 in September, including any local guidance on report cards, remediation programs, or adjustments to the calendar.