MANILA — A teachers' group on Saturday called on the Department of Education to include in its revised curriculum lessons that would empower students in responding to the coronavirus pandemic.

In the coming school year, the DepEd is set to roll out the Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs), an abridged version of the K to 12 curriculum. These would be taught through remote means as in-person classes remain prohibited due to the ongoing threat of COVID-19.

But the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) criticized the curriculum, saying it lacked "content responsive to the present health and economic crises."

"Where is COVID-19 education in DepEd’s modified curriculum? [Do the] MELCs empower children to be active and productive members of our communities? Will it help our students process and aptly respond to events around them?" ACT Secretary General Raymond Basilio said in a statement.

"Education must reflect the world we live in and is a promising weapon to allow all of us to surmount these crises," he said.

Aside from the methods that will be used to deliver lessons, the content of the curriculum also demands attention, said Basilio.

"More than ever, we need an education that is responsive to the capacities and needs of our people," he said.

The DepEd revised the basic education curriculum following a review that started almost 2 years ago.

• DepEd reduces learning competencies for next school year following K-12 review

Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan earlier said the revised curriculum would be used "only for this year."

Public schools are scheduled to start classes on August 24 while private schools were allowed to start earlier upon seeking the approval of DepEd's field officials.