Week 1 (Descriptive Title)

Development and Design of the
Most Essential Learning Competencies

(MELCs)
Prepared by:
Lelanie S. Galdo
TII (SHS)
Rationale:
The education sector is not spared
from the COVID-19 pandemic which
continues to gravely affect various
governments and economies around
the world.
87 % of the world’s student population
have been affected by school closures
(UNESCO, 2020)
Rationale:
While interim distance and remote
learning programs are being put in
place in many locations, the most
marginalized, poverty-stricken and
vulnerability children are also the
most disadvantaged.
Rationale:
“Education cannot wait. If learning
stops, we will lose human capital”.
(UNESCO)
Human Capital- the skills, knowledge, and

experience possessed by an individual or
population, viewed in terms of their value or
cost to an organization or country.
Rationale:
DepEd echoes UNESCO’s belief that
educational quality, access, and system
strengthening cannot be compromised
in times of crisis and that doing the
opposite will negatively affect human
capital.
Rationale:
 Thus the Department of Education affirms
its commitment to sustaining the delivery
of quality, accessible, relevant, and
liberating Philippine basic education
service anchored on the Sulong
Edukalidad framework. It will continue to
strive to produce holistic Filipino learners
with 21st century skills. Consequently, the
Bureau of Curriculum Development
ensures that learning standards are
Rationale:
relevant and flexible to address the
complex, disruptive, volatile, and
ambiguous impact of COVID-19 in the
Philippines particularly in the basic
education sector.
Rationale:
 The department came up with the Most
Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs)
to be used nationwide by field
implementers for SY 2020-2021.
 The release of the MELC 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, especially during emergencies.
Rationale:
 MELCs can be used under similar
circumstances as a mechanism to ensure
education continuity (curriculum dimensions).
 The release of the MELC does not downplay
the standards set by the K to 12 curriculum
guides. Rather, 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.
Rationale:
 The MELCs intend to assist schools in
navigating the limited number of schools
days as they employ multiple delivery
schemes by providing them ample
instructional space.
Rationale:
 The content and performance standards
can be found in ANNEX C. Guidelines on
the Use of Most Essential Learning
Competencies (MELCs) of DepEd Order
No. 12, s. 2020 for field implementers to
recognize that the MELCs are anchored
on the prescribed standards.
Background on the Identification of the MELCs:
The Bureau of
Assessment
Curriculum
Curriculum and
Development-
Technology Research
Curriculum Standards
Center (ACTRC)
Development Division
Started working on the identification of essential learning

competencies in the middle of 2019 as part of its review of the
intended curriculum
 Results of the Review (initiated by Sec. Briones)

1. Mapping of the essential and desirable
learning competencies within the curriculum
2. Identification of prerequisite knowledge
and skills needed to prepare students for
essential learning competencies; and
3. Analysis of the interconnectedness of
prerequisite knowledge and skills among the
learning competencies for each subject area.
 Essential learning competencies were defined as

what the students need, considered
indispensable, in the teaching-learning process.
 On the other hand, desirable learning

competencies were defined as what may
enhance education but may not be necessary in
building foundational skills.
Characteristics of an Essential Learning Competency:
Learning 1. It is aligned with national, state, and /or

competency is local standards/ frameworks (e.g.,
essential if… scientifically-literate Filipinos)
2. It connects the contents to higher concepts
across content areas
3. It is applicable to real life situations
4. It would be important for students to
acquire the competency after she/he left
that particular grade level
5. It would not be expected that most students
would learn this through their
parents/communities if not taught at school
 These characteristics are based on a US-

developed competency validation rubric, which
is intended to assure that learning competencies
can reach the highest level of quality and
comparability across schools (New Hampshire
Department of Education, 2012); adaptations
were made for relevance in the Philippine
context.
From ELC to MELCs:
 When the number of identified essential learning
competencies per quarter were further reduced,
thus it is termed “most essential learning
competencies”.
Determining Factor for the Selection of the
MELCs:
 Endurance- was 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. (examples of such LC
include research skills, reading comprehension,
writing, map reading and hypothesis testing,
which are essential in many professions and in
everyday life)
MELCs:
 Necessary in determining MELC is the decision
whether a learning competency is to be retained,
merged, dropped or rephrased.
 Retained- if it satisfies the endurance criterion

 Merged or cluster- if they have they same objectives or
learning intention & can therefore be combined into
one comprehensive LC.
 Removed or dropped due to the following reasons:
MELCs:
 Removed or dropped due to the following reasons:
 They are too specific (and the articulation is similar to
that of a learning objective)
 They are deemed appropriate to be introduced in an
earlier quarter or grade level or moved to a later quarter
or grade level.
 They are recurring
 They are subsumed in another LC
• Finally, a learning competency is rephrased to be more

concise.
MELCs:
MELCs:
MELCs:
MELCs:
 The Content and Performance Standards are directly
lifted from the CG.
 Teachers are encouraged to refer to the 12016 CG in
unpacking the MELCs.
 Field implementers and private schools are encouraged
to contextualize the MELCs in order to accommodate
the varying context of learners, teachers, learning
environment and support structures considering both the
content and Performance Standards
 Filipino learners are guarnateed relevant and quality
basic education despite the current health crisis.
Thank You

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Development and Design of the

Most Essential Learning Competencies

Human Capital- the skills, knowledge, and

Started working on the identification of essential learning

 Results of the Review (initiated by Sec. Briones)

 Essential learning competencies were defined as

 On the other hand, desirable learning

Learning 1. It is aligned with national, state, and /or

 These characteristics are based on a US-

A learning competency is considered enduring if

 Retained- if it satisfies the endurance criterion

• Finally, a learning competency is rephrased to be more

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