DepEd to Gradually End Grade Transmutation Policy, Angara Says

The Department of Education will slowly phase out its controversial “transmutation system,” which allows underperforming students to move up to the next grade level despite not meeting academic standards, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said Thursday.

In a radio interview, Angara acknowledged findings by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom 2) that flagged concerns over the “mass promotion” of students. Under the transmutation system, learners who receive a raw grade as low as 60 can still end up with a passing mark of 75 after adjustments.

Angara said the policy, widely used in elementary education, has contributed to students advancing without fully mastering lessons, while also placing additional pressure on teachers.

“That is what we will gradually stop because while it’s good that the teacher sympathizes with the student, we are just postponing the problem further,” Angara said in a mix of Filipino and English. “Even if we say that the student will someday learn, it’s not really happening.”

He added that grade transmutation does not align with international assessment standards or college entrance exam systems, raising concerns about long-term learning outcomes.

Angara noted that when students fail, teachers are often required to take on extra duties such as home visits and meetings with parents, further stretching their workload.

As part of the shift, DepEd will fully implement the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (Aral) program, an intervention aimed at helping kindergarten to Grade 10 students catch up on learning gaps in reading, math, and science.

Under Republic Act No. 12028, or the Aral law, teachers will no longer serve as tutors for students who fail.

“Under the law, the teacher will assess and teach the student, and then the grade will have to be accurate,” Angara said.