MANILA – The House Committee on Basic Education and Culture on Wednesday agreed on the proposed merging of subjects in the Kinder to Grade 3 (K-3) curriculum, saying it may result in exponential learning growth of learners.  In the Laging Handa public briefing, House Committee on Basic Education and Culture chairperson Rep. Roman Romulo said this will mean more time and opportunity to focus on “functional literacy.” “Agree po ako fully doon sa bagong [proposal], alam niyo po matagal na po naming sinasabi, pagdating sa Grades 1 to 3, kailangan nating bawasan ang subject. Kailangan pong mag-focus tayo sa functional literacy at sa reading, reading, reading, at sa mathematics (I fully agree with the new proposal, you know, we have been saying that for so long that when  to Grades 1 to 3, we need to reduce the subjects. We need to focus on functional literacy and reading, reading, reading, and mathematics),” he said.  The Department of Education (DepEd) earlier proposed a draft intending to merge Araling Panlipunan (social studies) and the Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health (MAPEH) which shall be called Sibika, Kultura, Kasaysayan at Kagalingang Pangkatawan (SIKaP).