TL;DR: DepEd publishes curriculum guides per subject, not as one combined K-12 document, directly on deped.gov.ph. Grades 1-3 run five to six subjects each under the current MATATAG revision; Grades 4-10 run seven to eight; Senior High School core subjects sit on top of track- and strand-specific (soon track- and elective-cluster-specific) subjects. This post is the download-and-reference version of the K-12 structure: for the full explainer on why the system works this way, see our K-12 curriculum guide.
Parents and teachers searching "K to 12 curriculum guide" are usually looking for one of two things: an explanation of how the system is structured, or the actual documents DepEd publishes so they can check what a specific grade is supposed to be learning. This post is built for the second case. It lays out subject counts by level, links directly to the official deped.gov.ph downloads, and flags exactly where the system is mid-transition, particularly in Senior High School, so you know which version of a document applies to which grade right now.
What Counts as "The" K to 12 Curriculum Guide?
There is no single combined "K-12 curriculum guide" PDF. DepEd publishes a separate Curriculum Guide (CG) per subject, each covering the grade range that subject applies to. For Kindergarten through Grade 10, the current set is the MATATAG-revised guides, published on DepEd's Revised K to 10 Curriculum page. For Senior High School, subject guides sit under DepEd's separate Strengthened SHS Program page, which is itself mid-rollout as of SY 2026-2027.
Disclaimer: curriculum documents change with DepEd memoranda and phased rollouts. Confirm the version and grade applicability directly on deped.gov.ph before relying on any summary, including this one.
Subject Count by Grade Level
| Level | Subjects | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | Integrated learning areas | One combined Kindergarten CG, not subject-by-subject |
| Grade 1 | 5: GMRC, Language, Makabansa, Mathematics, Reading and Literacy | MATATAG-revised, down from 7 pre-2023 |
| Grade 2 | 5: English, Filipino, GMRC, Makabansa, Mathematics | Filipino becomes a named subject |
| Grade 3 | 6: adds Science | Makabansa still covers social studies and values |
| Grades 4-5 | 8: Araling Panlipunan, English, EPP, Filipino, GMRC, MAPEH, Mathematics, Science | Araling Panlipunan splits out from Makabansa |
| Grades 6-8 | 9: adds TLE and Values Education as Makabansa fully unwinds into separate subjects | Junior High School structure begins |
| Grades 9-10 | 8: Araling Panlipunan, English, Filipino, MAPEH, Mathematics, Science, TLE specialization, Values Education | Final K-10 grades under MATATAG |
| Grades 11-12 | Core subjects + track/strand (transitioning to core subjects + elective clusters) | Under active transition to the Strengthened SHS Curriculum |
Subject counts above reflect DepEd's currently published MATATAG subject maps for K-10. Exact subject lists can vary slightly by quarter and by whether a specific grade has fully transitioned to MATATAG yet, since the rollout happened in phases rather than all at once; see the next section.
Where Is Each Grade in the MATATAG Rollout Right Now?
DepEd phased MATATAG in over four school years rather than switching every grade simultaneously. As of the start of SY 2026-2027, Grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8 are already on the MATATAG curriculum, and Grades 6, 9, and 10 are transitioning in during this school year, with full K-10 coverage targeted for SY 2027-2028. For the complete phase-by-phase table and the reasoning behind the overhaul, see our dedicated MATATAG curriculum guide.
Where Do the Official Downloads Live?
For Kindergarten through Grade 10, go to DepEd's Revised K to 10 Curriculum page. It links every current subject CG as a direct PDF, including:
- Filipino (Grades 2-10)
- English (Grades 2-10)
- Mathematics (Grades 1-10)
- Science (Grades 3-10)
- Araling Panlipunan (Grades 4-10)
- Makabansa (Grades 1-3)
- GMRC/Values Education (Grades 1-10)
- MAPEH-related guides (Music and Arts; PE and Health, Grades 4-10)
- EPP/TLE (Grades 4-10)
- Kindergarten, Language (Grade 1), and Reading and Literacy (Grade 1)
We cover the Filipino and Araling Panlipunan guides in more depth in our DepEd curriculum guides hub, which links out to every per-subject post in this series.
What Is Happening in Senior High School Right Now?
This is the part of the K-12 structure currently in the most flux. Under the curriculum that has applied since 2016, Senior High School students choose a track (Academic, Technical-Vocational-Livelihood, Sports, or Arts and Design) and, within Academic and TVL, a strand (STEM, ABM, HUMSS, GAS, or one of the TVL specializations). DepEd issued Order No. 017, s. 2026, "Strengthened Senior High School Curriculum," on June 4, 2026, and separately directed full implementation for Grade 11 starting SY 2026-2027 under Memorandum No. 012, s. 2026. The revised structure replaces named strands with a smaller set of tracks (Academic and Technical-Professional) built around elective clusters instead. This does not happen all at once across both SHS grade levels: it starts with the incoming Grade 11 cohort. We go into full detail, including what is confirmed by signed DepEd issuances versus what is still being piloted or reported, in our strengthened SHS curriculum guide. For how tracks and strands work under the system still applying to Grade 12 students in SY 2026-2027, see our tracks and strands explainer.
How Does This Affect Grading?
Curriculum guides set what is taught; a separate DepEd policy sets how it is graded. DepEd issued a revised grading order alongside the curriculum changes for SY 2026-2027. See our DepEd grading system guide for the exact component weights currently in effect.
Practical Tips for Checking What Applies to Your Child
- Identify the exact grade level first, not just "elementary" or "high school." Subject counts and even subject names (Makabansa versus Araling Panlipunan) differ by specific grade.
- Check whether that grade has transitioned to MATATAG yet. Because the rollout is phased, two children in the same family at different grade levels can be on different curriculum versions in the same school year.
- For Senior High School, confirm which cohort your child belongs to. Grade 11 students entering in SY 2026-2027 are the first full cohort under the Strengthened SHS Curriculum; Grade 12 students that year are generally still finishing under the prior strand system unless their school piloted the new curriculum earlier.
- Download source documents directly from deped.gov.ph, not from reseller or third-party summary sites, especially for anything you plan to use for lesson planning or curriculum comparison.
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Sources
- DepEd — Revised K to 10 Curriculum (official)
- DepEd — Strengthened SHS Program (official)
- DepEd — DO 017, s. 2026, Strengthened Senior High School Curriculum (official)
- DepEd — DM 012, s. 2026, Full Implementation of the Strengthened SHS Curriculum in SY 2026-2027 (official)
- SchoolFinderPH — K-12 Curriculum in the Philippines
- SchoolFinderPH — MATATAG Curriculum Guide
- SchoolFinderPH — DepEd Curriculum Guides Hub
