Republic of the Philippines

Tangos National High School

Schools Division Office - Navotas City

The Department of Education (DepEd) submitted a proposal with regards to integrating Araling Panlipunan with MAPEH in kindergarten to Grade 3 levels. The new learning area is known as Sibika, Kultura, Kasaysayan at Kagalingang Pangkatawan (SIKaP).  It aims to provide a more holistic, effective, productive, and time-efficient education for younger students.  With many people conflicted whether they would support or oppose it, we could say that there are indeed advantages and disadvantages of the said integration.

It is true that the subject of Araling Panlipunan always excites and piques the interests of students of all grades. Learning about history and culture contributes to our education by letting curious students know and discover many fragments that our ancestors of our past have left for us to study and be aware of. In addition, it highlights how drastic the evolution and transformation of society is. From traditional ancient civilizations to today’s modernization of cities. It is very fascinating how much it opens your eyes to the real world.

On the other hand, the subject MAPEH stands for Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health. It is focused on recreational activities, leisure, and at the same time it helps students experience hands-on activities with specific objectives. Even if it’s only considered as a minor subject, it can be enjoyed and viewed as important as any other subject as it focuses on skills more than intellectual knowledge. It gives opportunities to students who belong on the other side of the skill spectrum.

Combining the two subjects will help teachers deliver knowledge and lessons to their students in a much more efficient and energy-saving way. Since it takes less time to tackle combined subjects, the teachers and students will have ample time to enhance their capabilities and knowledge, especially in literacy and awareness. SiKaP being a “transdisciplinary curriculum”, the new learning area will provide students the education that strengthens their social, physical, musical, and artistic skills.

But it does not just enhance their personal skills but also helps them learn how to solve real-world problems, proper disciplinary values, cultural and traditional awareness, and socially inclusive mentality that contribute a lot in shaping young students into becoming well-rounded individuals as they grow up.

However, these two subjects are fundamentally different and should not be combined. Araling Panlipunan is focused on the social sciences, including history, geography, economics, and politics, while MAPEH covers music, arts, physical education, and health. By combining these two subjects, there is a possibility that students may not be able to develop a deep understanding of either, which could lead to a less effective education. 

Furthermore, considering that the new curriculum can be highly demanding in the skills of teachers, it is possible that we would lack qualified teachers who can execute the job effectively. This could lead to a situation where students receive a less powerful education due to inadequate teaching.

To sum everything up, the decision of whether to merge AP with MAPEH is a complex issue that requires careful consideration of various factors. This implementation comes with benefits for the betterment of our ever-evolving educational system and school curriculum, but it has risks and possible problems that may come if this has been officially approved.