“Naninindigan pa rin po tayo sa ipinangako nating

pagbabago sa edukasyon: ang gawin itong sentral

na estratehiya sa pamumuhunan sa
pinakamahalaga nating yaman: ang mamamayang
Pilipino. Sa K to 12, tiwala tayong mabibigyang-
lakas si Juan dela Cruz upang mapaunlad—hindi
lamang ang kanyang sarili at pamilya—kundi
maging ang buong bansa.” – Pangulong Benigno
S. Aquino III
 WHAT IS K TO 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, middle-level skills development,
employment, and entrepreneurship.
Why are we now implementing
13 years of Basic Education?
The Philippines is the last country in Asia and
one of only three countries worldwide with a 10-year
pre-university cycle (Angola and Djibouti are the
other two).

A 13-year program is found to be the best

period for learning under basic education. It is also
the recognized standard for students and
professionals globally.
 What has been done to get
ready for K to 12? Are we
really
SY 2011-2012:
ready?
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
 What has been done to get
ready for K to 12? Are we
really ready?
This 2015, we are getting ready for the
implementation of Senior High School (SHS) in SY
2016-2017
We are on the fifth year of the implementation
of the K to 12 Program. Our last mile is the Senior
High School. All 221 divisions of the Department of
Education (DepEd) have finished planning and have
figures on enrolment a year in advance. These plans
were reviewed by a separate team and finalized
upon consultation with other stakeholders.
 What has been done to get
ready for K to 12? Are we
really ready?
Teachers: From 2010-2014, DepEd has filled
128,105 new teacher items. DepEd is targeting two
kinds of teachers: those who will teach the core
subjects, and those who will teach the specialized
subjects per track. DepEd will hire 37,000 teachers
for Senior High School for 2016 alone.
 What has been done to get
ready for K to 12? Are we
really ready?
Curriculum: The K to 12 curriculum is standards-
and competence-based. It is inclusive and built
around the needs of the learners and the
community. The curriculum is done and is available
on the DepEd website. It is the first time in history
that the entire curriculum is digitized and made
accessible to the public.
 How will the current curriculum be
affected by K to 12? What subjects
will be added and removed?
The current curriculum has been enhanced for
K to 12 and now gives more focus to allow mastery
of learning.
For the new Senior High School grades
(Grades 11 and 12), core subjects such as
Mathematics, Science and Language will be
strengthened. Specializations or tracks in students’
areas of interest will also be offered.
 What will I learn in SHS that the
current high school curriculum
doesn’t include?
Senior High School covers eight learning
areas as part of its core curriculum, and adds
specific tracks (similar to college courses) based on
four disciplines:
•Academic (which includes Business, Science &
Engineering, Humanities & Social Science, and a
General Academic strand)
•Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (with highly
specialized subjects with TESDA qualifications)
•Sports
•Arts & Design
 How will K to 12 affect the college
curriculum?
The College General Education curriculum will
have fewer units. Subjects that have been taken up
in Basic Education will be removed from the College
General Education curriculum.

Details of the new GE Curriculum may be

found in CHED Memorandum Order No. 20, series
of 2013.
 Senior High School covers eight learning
areas as part of its core curriculum, and adds
specific tracks (similar to college courses) based on
four disciplines:
•Academic (which includes Business, Science &
Engineering, Humanities & Social Science, and a
General Academic strand)
•Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (with highly
specialized subjects with TESDA qualifications)
•Sports
•Arts & Design
• All JHS completers from public junior high schools
are qualified to receive the full voucher values.
• Private junior high school completers who are on
Education Service Contracting (ESC) grants will
receive 80% of the full voucher value.
• JHS completers from private schools and non-
DepEd schools can also apply for vouchers worth
80% of the full voucher value.
• Students will be notified of their eligibility prior to
completing Grade 10. No monetary value is given
to the student directly instead the subsidy is
remitted to the Senior High School where he/she
will enroll.
 The actual amount of the vouchers will depend
on the location of the SHS where the student will
enroll.
• JHS completers who will enroll in a SHS located
in the National Capital Region (NCR) will receive
a full voucher value of PhP 22,500.
• JHS completers who will enroll in a SHS located in Non-
NCR Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs) will receive a full
voucher value of PhP 20,000. These cities include
Angeles, Bacolod, Baguio, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro,
Cebu City, Davao City, General Santos, Iligan, Iloilo City,
Lapu-lapu, Lucena, Mandaue, Olongapo, Puerto
Princesa, Tacloban, and Zamboanga City.
• JHS completers who will enroll in a SHS located
in other cities and municipalities will have a full
voucher value of PhP 17,500.
The voucher must be used in the school year
immediately following the year of JHS completion. A
voucher recipient may only be able to avail of the
voucher subsidy for two (2) successive years.
Non-DepEd schools may charge tuitions that
are higher than the voucher subsidy amounts.
Students and parents are expected to cover the
difference between the tuition fee charged by the
school and the voucher subsidy from government.
SALIENT FEATURES OF
K 12 PROGRAM
Strengthening Early
Childhood Education
(Universal
Kindergarten)
 Strengthening Early Childhood
Education (Universal
Kindergarten)
Every Filipino child now has access
to early childhood education through
Universal Kindergarten. At 5 years old,
children start schooling and are given the
means to slowly adjust to formal
education.
 Strengthening Early Childhood
Education (Universal
Kindergarten)
Research shows that children who
underwent Kindergarten have better
completion rates than those who did not.
Children who complete a standards-based
Kindergarten program are better prepared, for
primary education.
 Strengthening Early Childhood
Education (Universal
Kindergarten)
Education for children in the early years lays
the foundation for lifelong learning and for the total
development of a child. The early years of a human
being, from 0 to 6 years, are the most critical period
when the brain grows to at least 60-70 percent of
adult size..[Ref: K to 12 Toolkit]
 Strengthening Early Childhood
Education (Universal
Kindergarten)
In Kindergarten, students learn the alphabet,
numbers, shapes, and colors through games, songs,
and dances, in their Mother Tongue.
SALIENT FEATURES OF
K 12 PROGRAM
Making the
Curriculum Relevant
to Learners
(Contextualization
and Enhancement)
Making the Curriculum Relevant to
Learners
Examples, activities, songs, poems, stories,
and illustrations are based on local culture, history,
and reality. This makes the lessons relevant to the
learners and easy to understand.

Students acquire in-depth knowledge, skills,

values, and attitudes through continuity and
consistency across all levels and subjects.
Making the Curriculum Relevant to
Learners
Discussions on issues such as Disaster Risk
Reduction (DRR), Climate Change Adaptation, and
Information & Communication Technology (ICT) are
included in the enhanced curriculum.
SALIENT FEATURES OF
K 12 PROGRAM
Building Proficiency
Through Language
(Mother Tongue –
Based Multilingual
Education)
 Building Proficiency Through
Languange
Students are able to learn best through their
first language, their Mother Tongue (MT). Twelve (12)
MT languages have been introduced for SY 2012-
2013: Bahasa Sug, Bikol, Cebuano, Chabacano,
Hiligaynon, Iloko, Kapampangan, Maguindanaoan,
Meranao, Pangasinense, Tagalog, and Waray. Other
local languages will be added in succeeding school
years.
 Building Proficiency Through
Languange
Aside from the Mother Tongue, English and
Filipino are taught as subjects starting Grade 1, with
a focus on oral fluency. From Grades 4 to 6, English
and Filipino are gradually introduced as languages of
instruction. Both will become primary languages of
instruction in Junior High School (JHS) and Senior
High School (SHS).
 Building Proficiency Through
Languange
After Grade 1, every student can read in his or
her Mother Tongue. Learning in Mother Tongue also
serves as the foundation for students to learn
Filipino and English easily.
SALIENT FEATURES OF
K 12 PROGRAM
Ensuring Integrated
and Seamless
Learning (Spiral
Progression)
 Building Proficiency Through
Languange
Subjects are taught from the simplest concepts
to more complicated concepts through grade levels
in spiral progression. As early as elementary,
students gain knowledge in areas such as Biology,
Geometry, Earth Science, Chemistry, and Algebra.
This ensures a mastery of knowledge and skills
after each level.
 Building Proficiency Through
Languange
For example, currently in High School, Biology
is taught in 2nd Year, Chemistry in 3rd Year, and
Physics in 4th Year. In K to 12, these subjects are
connected and integrated from Grades 7 to 10. This
same method is used in other Learning Areas like
Math.
SALIENT FEATURES OF
K 12 PROGRAM
Gearing up for the
Future (Senior High
School)
 Gearing Up for the Future
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. SHS subjects fall under either
the Core Curriculum or specific Tracks.
 Core Curriculum
There are seven Learning Areas under the
Core Curriculum. These are Languages, Literature,
Communication, Mathematics, Philosophy, Natural
Sciences, and Social Sciences. Current content from
some General Education subjects are embedded in
the SHS curriculum.
 Tracks
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).
 TVET (Technical Vocational
Education & Training) National
Certificate
NC I and NC II improves employability of
graduates in fields like Agriculture, Electronics, and
Trade.
 Modeling Best Practices for
Senior High School
In SY 2012-2013, there are 33 public high
schools, public technical-vocational high schools,
and higher education institutions (HEIs) that have
implemented Grade 11. This is a Research and
Design (R&D) program to simulate different aspects
of Senior High School in preparation for full
nationwide implementation in SY 2016-2017.
Modeling programs offered by these schools are
based on students’ interests, community needs, and
their respective capacities.
 Nurturing the Holistically
Developed Filipino (College and
Livelihood Readiness, 21st
Century Skills)
After going through Kindergarten, the
enhanced Elementary and Junior High curriculum,
and a specialized Senior High program, every K to
12 graduate will be ready to go into different paths –
may it be further education, employment, or
entrepreneurship.
 Nurturing the Holistically
Developed Filipino (College and
Livelihood Readiness, 21st
Century Skills)
Every graduate will be equipped with:

1. Information, media and technology skills,

2. Learning and innovation skills,
3. Effective communication skills, and
4. Life and career skills.
ELEMENTARY
KINDERGARTEN

The Kindergarten Curriculum Framework

(KCF) draws from the goals of the K to 12 Philippine
Basic Education Curriculum Framework and adopts
the general principles of the National Early Learning
Framework (NELF). Kindergarten learners need to
have a smooth transition to the content-based
curriculum of Grades 1 to 12.
ELEMENTARY
GRADES 1-10

Students in Grades 1 to 10 will experience an

enhanced, context-based, and spiral progression
learning curriculum with the following subjects:
• Mother TongueEdukasyon sa Pagpapakatao
• Filipino Music
• English Arts
• Mathematics Physical Education
• Science Technology and Livehihood
• Araling Panlipunan
SENIOR HIGH
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).
 IMPLEMENTATION AND
TRANSITION MANAGEMENT
 IMPLEMENTATION AND
TRANSITION MANAGEMENT
Program implementation in public schools is
being done in phases starting SY 2012–2013. Grade
1 entrants in SY 2012–2013 are the first batch to
fully undergo the program, and current 1st year
Junior High School students (or Grade 7) are the first
to undergo the enhanced secondary education
program. To facilitate the transition from the existing
10-year basic education to 12 years, DepEd is also
implementing the SHS and SHS Modeling.
TRANSITION FOR PRIVATE
SCHOOLS
 TRANSITION FOR PRIVATE
SCHOOLS
Private schools craft their transition plans
based on: (1) current/previous entry ages for Grade
1 and final year of Kinder, (2) duration of program ,
and most importantly, (3) content of curriculum
offered.

http://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/k-12/
THE SPIRAL CURRICULUM
 DepEd’s Spiral Curriculum
"Mapapagbuti na natin ang kaalaman ng mga mag-
aaral sa Agham at Matematika sa pagsusulong ng
spiral approach sa ating bagong curriculum," the
DepEd chief said. (With the spiral approach in the
new curriculum, we will improve learning in math
and science)
 DepEd’s Spiral Curriculum
DepEd's current approach to reforming the basic
educational system in the Philippines is an example of a spiral
approach. DepEd tries to cover too many things at one time,
without focus and prioritization. DepEd does not see the
importance of "First Things First", the importance of
prerequisites, the essence of mastery. In a layered reform, as
opposed to spiral, the roots of the problems are first
addressed: shortages, before boldly taking ambitious
programs that are not going to be supported properly. In this
spiral approach, DepEd is more likely to take a vicious circle
or a downward spiral.
DepEd’s Spiral Curriculum
"If we do not think spirally, why do
we have to learn or teach spirally? And
this is what makes it so difficult. There
are many right words in the quote and
the right intentions. But, as long as the
fundamentals are wrong, the pedagogy
behind the spiral approach is not viable.
Concepts - classes - are not organized
in a single hierarchy. Rather there is a
web of related classes in which a variety
of hierarchies can be distinguished.
Recognizing individual hierarchies is as
important as discerning relationships
between the classes. But spirals?"