Topic: Implementation of K to 12 Program in the Philippines

What is K-12 Program?

The K to 12 Program covers Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (six
years of primary education, four years of Junior High School, and two years of Senior
High School [SHS]) to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills,
develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education (Dep-ed,
2015).
The development of K to12 Program has been made possible by the
collaborative efforts of members of the Steering Committee which is composed of
DepED, CHED, TESDA and other stakeholders. These include other government
agencies, private sector, civil society organizations, associations of public and
private schools, Senate, House of Representatives, PTAs, teachers organizations,
student organizations and other individuals who are committed to improving the
quality of Philippine education (Bernas, J. 2015).
What is Senior High School?
Senior High School is two years of specialized upper secondary education;
students may choose a specialization based on aptitude, interests, and school
capacity. The choice of career track will define the content of the subjects a student
will take in Grades 11 and 12. Each student in Senior High School can choose
among three tracks: Academic; Technical-Vocational-Livelihood; and Sports and Arts.
The Academic track includes three strands: Business, Accountancy, Management
(BAM); Humanities, Education, Social Sciences (HESS); and Science, Technology,
Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) (Dep-ed, 2015).
What is the Voucher Program?
This program enables Grade 10 completers from public and private Junior
High Schools (JHS) to enroll in a (1) private high school, (2) private university or
college, (3) state or local university or college, or (4) technical-vocational school,
which will offer the Senior High School program starting School Year 2016-2017.
Through the Voucher Program, students and their families are able to exercise
greater choice in deciding the Senior High School program that is most relevant to
their needs and career goals. A certain amount will be subsidized by DepEd to
private SHS to offset the cost of tuition (Dep-ed, 2015).
Why Philippines need K to 12?
Enhancing the quality of basic education in the Philippines is urgent and
critical. Education outcomes in terms of participation, completion and achievement
rates attest to this urgent need. The poor quality of basic education is reflected in

the low achievement scores of Filipino students in the National Achievement Test
and international tests like TIMSS. One reason behind this is that students do not
get adequate instructional time or time on task. This is partly due to the congested
curriculum. The current 10-year basic education curriculum is designed to be taught
in 12 years. This has been affirmed in the study conducted by SEAMEO-Innotech
where it noted that Philippine basic education is congested compared to the
curriculum of Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia and Singapore. Specifically, it stated that
elementary education is congested especially in Mathematics, Languages and
Sciences. Our high school graduates are not adequately prepared for the world of
work. Most of the basic education graduates are too young to legally enter the labor
force (below 18). This implies that those who will not go to college would either be
unemployed or be vulnerable to exploitative labor practices (Bernas, J. 2015).
What Does K to 12 Systems Differ From the Old System?
According to the website k12philippines.com (2015)
K-12 EDUCATION SYSTEM

The K-12 program offers a decongested 12-year program that gives students
sufficient time to master skills and absorb basic competencies.
Students of the new system will graduate at the age of 18 and will be ready
for employment, entrepreneurship, middle level skills development, and
higher education upon graduation.
The K-12 program accelerates mutual recognition of Filipino graduates and
professionals in other countries.
Kindergarten is mandatory for five-year-old children, a pre-requisite for
admission to Grade 1.
The new curriculum gives students the chance to choose among three tracks
(i.e. Academic; Technical-Vocational-Livelihood; and Sports and Arts) and
undergo immersion, which provides relevant exposure and actual experience
in their chosen track.

OLD SYSTEM

Students lack mastery of basic competencies due to a congested ten-year

basic education curriculum.
Graduates of the old curriculum are younger than 18 years old and are not
legally ready to get a job or start a business.
Foreign countries perceive a ten-year curriculum as insufficient. They do not
automatically recognize Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as professionals
abroad.
Kindergarten (a strong foundation for lifelong learning and total development)
is optional and not a pre-requisite for admission to Grade 1.
Old education system offers a broad curriculum that does not include enough
practical applications.

References
Department of Education (2015). The K to 12 basic education program. Retrieved
from
http://www.gov.ph/k-12/

Bernas, J. (2015). Teachers lounge. Rex Printing Company, Inc.

k12philippines (2015). K-12. Retrieved from http://k12philippines.com/