BEFORE, Philippines was the only country in Asia and one of the three countries in the world (the others were Angola and Djibouti) that had a 10-year basic education program. With this statement, President Benigno Aquino III said, “Filipinos were at the disadvantage competing globally because of the old curriculum.”
The quality of education in the Philippines needs to be in par with international standards. This was the primary goal of Republic Act No. 10533 passed in 2013, which established the K-12 program that added Grades 11 and 12 as the senior high school stage of the 13-year enhanced basic education system. The K to 12 Program covers 13 years of basic education with the following key stages: Kindergarten to Grade 3, Grades 4 to 6, Grades 7 to 10 (Junior High School), Grades 11 and 12 (Senior High School).
Unlike the old system, senior high school has four disciplines: academic, technical- vocational-livelihood, sports, and arts and design. Students can choose from the variety of the four tracks based on how they want to do after high school. With the increase of two years in high school, the K-12 program schemes to fortify students for college, future employment and entrepreneurship.
DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones said that the implementation of the new curriculum was more than just keeping up with our regional neighbors or with the global community. In addition, she stated that, “We are doing K-12 for ourselves and for Philippine education. We are doing this to be able to compete in our own country so that we can equip our learners with appropriate skills, creativity, and intelligence to cope with the changing world.” However, several petitioners have sought to halt its implementation, claiming that it was “despotic and antidemocratic.”
The preparations made by the authorities started during 2011. Wherein, SY 2011-2012: Universal Kindergarten implementation begins. SY 2012- 2013: Enhanced curriculum for Grades 1-7 implemented. 2013: K to 12 enacted into Law. 2014: Curriculum for Grades 11-12 finished. 2015: implementation of SHS in SY 2016-2017.
The DepEd said finishing the senior high school cannot insure immediate employment. Instead, it will build opportunities for enhancing skills by promoting partnerships with companies to off er technical and vocational courses; getting work experience while studying.
As a Filipino, our job is to help spreading the awareness and information about the K to 12 program.
–Marlene P. Bondoc
(Unsolicited contributions here are unedited, unabridged, as is. Errors in grammar, syntax, etc, solely the writer’s. — Editor)
