MATATAG in Mathematics Education: A Convergent Parallel Study on Teacher Perspectives, Experiences and Evaluation in Implementing the Decongested Curriculum

This study evaluated the implementation of the MATATAG Curriculum in Mathematics among Grade 7 teachers in Region VIII. A convergent mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data were gathered using a validated Evaluation Scale for Assessing the Effective Implementation of the MATATAG Curriculum, while qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Cluster sampling was used in the quantitative phase, and purposive sampling was applied in selecting qualitative participants to ensure the distribution of participants from different grouping variables. The respondents were Grade 7 mathematics teachers from public secondary schools in Eastern Visayas. Quantitative findings revealed a very high level of implementation of the MATATAG Curriculum in mathematics, indicating that the implementation of the MATATAG curriculum is always evident. Further analysis showed no significant differences across types of school, years of experience, and academic alignment. The qualitative findings emphasize the positive aspects of decongested content, focus on competency and engagement, while also pointing out the difficulties of instructional resources, time constraints, and the need for professional development. The confirmation of the merge of the quantitative and qualitative findings showed convergence, as both strands of data supported the claim that the implementation of MATATAG is always evident. Based on the integrated findings, the study proposed the MATATAG-PLUS (Professional Learning, Unified Support) enhancement program, which emphasizes continuous teacher capacity building, strengthened institutional support, improved resource provision, and data-driven instructional monitoring to enhance curriculum implementation further.