K+12: A Milestone of Change in the 21st

Century of Philippine Education

You are given ten years to take in, to chew on, and to
digest the lessons. There is no time for the children to savor the
knowledge they are receiving. You just keep feeding and
feeding them. The result: information is not processed as well
as it should be, context is not given and thus not applied, and
the implications on the greater majority of Filipinos are not
explained. Which is why, sometimes, information enters one
ear and exits the other; in a matter of days, what has been
learned has been forgotten.
-Pres. Benigno Aquino III
In this statement by Pres.Aquino, he succinctly compared the 10-year basic
education program of the Philippines to force-feeding where students just take in what
they learn without extra application of their skills in a more exigent education setting.
Thus, a great reform in our education is being implemented, unraveling the problems in
lack of sufficient knowledge and essential work skills for the Filipino youth.
In the current System of Education in the Philippines, a brink of extinction, for a
new education system is being proposed. The existing system of 6 years in Elementary,
and 4 years in Secondary before entering Tertiary is being challenged. In fact, a major
reform in the Education System is on the horizon, and this shall radically change the way
Filipinos are educated.
To sustain this account, a feedback from a columnist, Lira Fernandez, said that
with K to 12 in place, the Philippine education system would be at par with international
standards, following the Washington Accord and the Bologna Accord, and contributing to
the development of a better-educated society capable of pursuing productive
employment, entrepreneurship, or higher education disciplines.
So, how will this education reform be implemented? Do we have sufficient
classrooms to study in, chairs to seat on, teachers to learn from, and textbooks to read?
Many queries arise because of the new system. Students, parents and even
educators doubt the effectiveness of the K+12. Contrarily, the Department of Education
does not want it to be stopped and is determined to pursue the program. On a reform as

massive as this, it is expected that the opinions of the people are divided; after all, it
depends in the K+12 on how the Education of the country will progress.
When kindergarten, the first strand of K to 12, started in June, classrooms were
not enough in several areas and some teachers were not compensated properly.
To answer this, Luistro affirmed that DepEd has enough budget. The education
finances have been increased to P238 billion for 2012. As for kinder, implementation was
reportedly 85-percent satisfactory, with less than 5 percent of schools reporting problems.
Acknowledging the need for resources for K to12, the DepEd called on the local
government units and private partners to support the infrastructure development. Another
scheme it is eyeing is to front-load all needed capital investments, take a grant or loan
from government and private banks based on annual budget, and pay the amortization
yearly.
On the other hand, Rep.Antonio Tinio of the Act of Teachers Partylist enunciated
that while we value the intention of K to 12, we have some major concerns. One, we have
existing problems in our public school system that have to be plugged, theres the
shortage in teachers, classrooms, etc., which are not yet resolved, not by a long shot.
Two, we have problems too in terms of performance of the10-year basic education
system that is in place. For example, those who enroll in Grade 1 and finish high school
only have a 50 percent completion rate. One of the most important challenges is still the
completion of high school.
He concluded that these are concerns that are not directly addressed by K to 12,
and if you implement additional years, expectedly, the education sectors problems will
just pile up.
Another negation stated that introducing a better system is good, when the recipient is
ready; but when the recipient of the system is not yet ready, it becomes bad, on worst
situations, disastrous. The Education Sector currently needs one thing to improve all its
resources budget. Yet, no administration in recent memory is willing to prioritize
spending and invest money on the Education Sector.
Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali toldd that K to 12 will not live to its promise of
educating the youth better; it may just worsen the situation. The Department of Education
will implement the K+12 even if it lacks the budget, and thinks that while it is being
implemented is the time to fill its gap. That is plainly absurd. Its just like sailing a boat

that has holes in it, and plans to repair the holes while they are sailing it, which is
catastrophic.
While shortages in teachers, classrooms, textbooks, and sanitary facilities
continue to hound the education sector, DepEd said that there will be no problem in the
introduction of a new curriculum for this school year.
Education Assistant Secretary for Programs and Projects, Elena Ruiz told in an
interview of the Manila Times that for the curriculum to be responsive, it has to be
changed, and that is one of the main reasons why we have the curriculum revision.
Aside from budget, the concern for the scarcity of better-skilled teachers is highly
stressed. DepEd says that additional special teachers will be hired and existing teachers
will be trained, even retooled, to teach core academic subjects and electives that will be
offered in Grades 11 and 12 (Senior High School). This said training of teachers in
DepEd has already being done and the government especially the DepEd will step up
training for public school teachers. Regarding to the teachers additional workload for the
K to 12 implementation, as the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers provides that
teachers should teach only up to six hours a day.
As a wrap up, the department is exploring the possibility of utilizing existing
technical and higher education teachers to teach Senior High School, particularly during
the transition period.
The formulation of policy for the K+12 Education System requires rigorous
systems analysis. Many patchworks of issues, opinions and statistical analysis have
already been presented by many sectors in many meetings and consultations. But what is
more important to see now is the entire picture, the whole tapestry of Cause-Effects and
Costs-Benefits that the policy will create.
In education lies the future of a society. It is proper then that the public be
educated about the issue. Parents must know about this because in it depends the
Education of their child, the way how the students would be educated; and how the
educators will educate the students.
So, whats with the K+12 Curriculum?
K+12 seeks to cure what ails the Philippine basic and secondary education
system. But not everyone agrees that the additional years will result in better-educated,
competitive, and employable graduates.

Until a law on K to 12 is passed, sustainability of the program could not be

guaranteed. What if the President changes his mind and decided he wanted another
model? What if the Presidents successor has other plans in mind?
While included as one of the legislative agenda during the February 28, 2011
Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting, Congress has
yet to pass the law on this.
For two years in the current 15th Congress, the administration-supported bills that
aim to increase the number of years for basic education remain pending at the committee
level.
Among these are Senate Bill 2713 of Senator Ralph Recto, House Bill 4219 of
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and House Bill 4199 of Salvador Escudero III.
Lawyer Joseph Estrada, legal counsel of the Coordinating Council of Philippine
Educational Associations (COCOPEA) said that one of our greatest worries is the lack of
law to institutionalize K to 12. Its now the 15 th Congress, one year more and this
Congress will finish, but this is crucial because next year is election year.
Since considered as a major reform in our educational system, what profits can we
gain from k+12?
The Department of Education has outlined the benefits that the society, as well as
individuals would theoretically attain should K+12 be implemented, and these are the
following:
To Individuals and Families

Graduates will possess competencies and skills relevant to the job market. The
K+12 proposal will be designed to adjust and meet the fast-changing demands of
society to prepare graduates with skills essential for the world of work.

Graduates will be prepared for higher education. Due to an enhanced curriculum

that will provide relevant content and attuned with the changing needs of the
times, basic education will ensure sufficient mastery of core subjects to its
graduates such that graduates may opt to pursue higher education if they choose
to.

Graduates will be able to earn higher wages and/or better prepared to start their
own business. There is a strong correlation between educational attainment and

wage structure and studies specific to the Philippine setting show that an
additional year of schooling increases earnings by 7.5%. This should also allow
greater access to higher education for self-supporting students.

Graduates could now be recognized abroad. Filipino graduates, e.g. engineers,

architects, doctors, etc., could now be recognized as professionals in other
countries. Those who intend to study abroad will meet the entrance requirements
of foreign schools.

For the Society and the Economy

The economy will experience accelerated growth in the long run. The objective of
the K+12 program is to improve quality of basic education. Several studies have
shown that the improvements in the quality of education will increase GDP
growth by as much as 2%. Studies in the UK, India and US show that additional
years of schooling also have positive overall impact on society.

The Philippine education system will be at par with international standards. K+12
will facilitate mutual recognition of Filipino graduates and professionals
following the Washington Accord and the Bologna Accord.

A better educated society provides a sound foundation for long-term

socioeconomic development. The Enhanced K+12 Basic Education system will
contribute to the development of emotionally and intellectually mature individuals
capable of pursuing.
With these benefits, the government added that K to 12 will facilitate an

accelerated economic growth and will assist mutual recognition of Filipino graduates and
professionals in other countries.
As have said, K to 12 increases economic growth and educational development,
can we then consider this as a good investment?
Vocational/technical education takes center stage in the K to 12 curriculum as it is
institutionalized in the basic educational system. Starting Grade 9, the new curriculum
offers as an elective Technology and Livelihood Education that will give the students the
option to take technical vocation subjects.
The goal, according to DepEd, is for a student who completes K to 12 to be
equipped with skills, competencies, and recognized certificates equivalent to a two-year
college degree.

No doubt that improving the way of how Filipinos are educated is the goal of
K+12. The K+12 may indeed improve the way on how Filipinos are educated, if it be
implemented when we have a good and stable Education Sector.
As in any debate, there is a government side and an opposition side. The pros and
cons of the K to 12 are being stated below:
One of the major pros that the program has to offer is that additional years of
education will make Filipino students more mature, competent, well-rounded, and
globally competitive. This is true to a certain extent especially that the traditional
educational system is in fact 12 years of quality education reduced into 10 years of
congested curriculum. Our students will benefit a lot from this but supporters of this
program should also take into account the financial burden it will bring both to the
government and parents alike. Additional years of education are tantamount to an
extension of agony for families who are also struggling to make ends meet on a daily
basis. In addition to that, the quality of teachers and educational facilities should be of
utmost priority if we want to really experience the benefits of this program once we reach
the year 2016. Furthermore, quality education will never be possible if the government
will not back it up with financial support. If education will remain as the top priority for
the national budget and fight against corruption will maintain its momentum, chances are
we will get the fruits of our labor in due time.
Contrarily, regarding the shortage of books and other necessary facilities, students
are forced to fit themselves on the available ones, resulting to over-crowded classes. And
because schools lack books, students will be forced to endure with the available ones,
making them bear a 3:1 student to book ratio. Finally, because schools lack teachers,
teachers are forced to teach large quantities of students while a large number of students
have to endure on a single teacher, and the average 1:65 teacher to student ratio is very
alarming.
According to the briefer prepared by DepEd, K-12 has also a potential to reduce
unemployment rate in our country which will benefit everyone in the long run. It will be
minus 2 instead of plus 2 for those families who cannot afford a college education
but still wish to have their children find a good paying job. Students can either choose to
pursue a college degree or just finish Grade 12 of high school to find a job. If the latter
will be his choice, it will be like completing the first two years of college and then
dropping out to find a job immediately, the reason why it is called the minus 2 benefit.
However, it has been part of our culture to believe that getting a college degree both
brings honor to the family and a sure ticket to success for the graduate.

But the negative side insisted that the increasing the number of years will not
make up to the current deficiencies in the Education Sector; increasing the number of
years will not make up to the fact that Philippine Public Schools are not fit for Education;
increasing the number of years will not make things better, itll just worsen things.
The problem is visible, the solution is available, and the only thing needed is
action. Before any major reform, the Department of Education must first fill out its gaps
and deficiencies. There are many things that is needed to be taken care of, before even
trying to adopt a new system. The current Education Sector is like a boat, with many
holes in it. Placing a better captain will not make-up to the fact that there are holes in the
ship; what will fix the problem is repairing the holes of the ship.
Despite all these problems, DepEd Secretary Luistro is positive the K to 12 is the
right step towards getting education right. He acknowledges that teacher training will
take years, and the new curriculum remains a work in progress.
In our present stage of educational innovation and progress, we are still suffering
the following inadequacies: (a) insufficient mastery of basic competencies is common
due to a congested curriculum. The 12 year curriculum is being delivered in 10 years; (b)
high school graduates are younger than 18 years old and lack basic competencies and
maturity. They cannot legally enter into contracts and are not emotionally mature for
entrepreneurship / employment and; (c) other countries view the 10-year education cycle
as insufficient.
But with the visions of K to 12 Program from the briefer prepared by DepEd,
graduates will acquire mastery of basic competencies; be more emotionally mature; be
socially aware, pro-active, involved in public and civic affairs; be adequately prepared for
the world of work or entrepreneurship or higher education; be legally employable with
potential for better earnings; be globally competitive and; every graduate of the Enhanced
K to 12 Basic Education Program is an empowered individual who has learned, through a
program that is rooted on sound educational principles and geared towards excellence,
the foundations for learning throughout life, the competence to engage in work and be
productive, the ability to coexist in fruitful harmony with local and global communities,
the capability to engage in autonomous critical thinking, and the capacity to transform
others and ones self.
K-12, as a whole, brings with it a lot of potential to bring significant changes in
our educational system. But whether the change will be constructive or destructive will
all depend on the governments strategies and cooperation of the public sector. We have
no choice but to embrace changes to move forward and progress as a nation. Lets all

hope for the best but lets also remember that most of the time, quality is more important
than quantity and as an editorial put it, we need to have better education, not more
education. K-12 is a milestone for all of us and one big step for the Filipinos because in
the end, education will always stay as one of the best ways to rise above poverty and
reach for the top.

Appendices

Journal 1

Is the Philippines ready for K+12?

By MJ Flores
http://www.kuro-kuro.org/bb/topic/is-the-philippines-ready-for-k12
Journal 2
The New K+12 Curriculum
By Isagani Cruz
http://www.thelearningplace.ph/?p=2073

Journal 3

Ready or not, K-to-12 curriculum starts

By: Lira Dalangin-Fernandez,
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/33727/ready-or-not-k-to-12-curriculum-starts

Journal 4

K to 12 To Keep Filipinos At Par With ASEAN Students

By MARIO B. CASAYURAN
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/372279/k-12-to-keep-filipinos-at-par-with-aseanstudents
Journal 5
Briefer on the Enhanced K to 12 Basic Education Program
http://www.gov.ph/2010/11/02/briefer-on-the-enhanced-k12-basic-educationprogram/