K To 12 Program: The Good And Bad Benefits

What is our current situation today?

- The Philippines is the last country in Asia and one of the three countries in the world with a 10 year educational program.

- The Philippines is Ranked 5th out of 8th ASEAN Countries in terms of quality education.

- The Philippines continue to lag behind nearly all ASEAN Countries except for Cambodia.

- The Philippines is last among ASEAN Countries in quality of Math and Science education.

- Our current basic education cycle sets our students at a disadvantage locally and internationally. And our  High School graduates lack basic competencies and maturity.


So...What is the k - 12 Program?

- The k – 12 program is not new. It covers kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (covers 6 years of primary education, 4 years of Junior High School, and 2 years of Senior High School.

The Philippine Department of education believes that we must transform our basic education system so that it adequately response to local needs while allowing our graduates to maximize opportunities beyond our shores. This is what k – 12 is all about.

Why did they add 2 years?

 -  They add 2 years to enhance the basic education and better quality of education. And according to research, an additional year of schooling increases earnings by 7.5% and the quality of Education will increase growth by 2% to 2.2%. It will also inspire students that completion of High School is more than just preparation for college but can be sufficient for a gainful employment or career.

What are the features of The k - 12 Program?

 Strengthening early childhood education

-  Every Filipino child has to access early education through kindergarten. Children who completed kindergarten are better prepared for primary education. In kindergarten, students learn alphabet, numbers, shapes and colors through games, songs and dances.



 Making the curriculum relevant to learners 

- Activities like songs, poems and stories and illustrations can make the lesson relevant and easy to understand for students. The students will acquire knowledge, skills, values and attitudes through continuity across all levels and subjects.

     Proficiency through Language

   

    - Students are able to learn through their native language. Native languages have been introduced in S.Y 12-13, some of these languages are Cebuano, Iloko, Tagalog, Waray, etc. at 1^st grade, Filipino and English will focus on communication skills. It will become a primary language of instruction in Junior and Senior High School. Learning in native language serves as the foundation for students to learn English and Filipino easily.

      Spiral Progression

   

    -  Subjects are taught in simplest concepts to more complicated concepts through grade levels. In elementary, students gain knowledge in subjects such as Math (Geometry and Algebra) and Science (Chemistry and Physics).

    Gearing up for the Future (Senior High School)

   

    -   Students may choose an area based on aptitude, interests and school capacity. The choice of career track will determine the subjects a student will take in Junior High School and Senior High School. The Senior High school subjects comprise either the core curriculum or specific tracks. There are 7 fields in the core curriculum. These are languages, literature, communication, mathematics, philosophy, natural and social sciences. Students in Senior high School can select among the 3 tracks: Academic, Technical – Vocational – Livelihood; and sports and arts. It also includes three strands such as Business, Accountancy Management (BAM); Humanities, Education, Social Sciences (HESS); and Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM). Students undergo immersion to provide a relevant exposure and experience in their chosen field.

    Graduates of K – 12 program are expected to be equipped with:

   

   -  Information, Media and technology skills

   -  Learning and innovation skills

   -  Effective  communication skills

   -  Life and career skills

   

    How will K – 12 benefit the Philippines?

   

   - The country’s economy will increase.

   - The Philippine educational system will level with the international standards.

   -   There will be a long term socio – economic development because the Philippines will be a better educated society.

   - Our Graduates could be recognized as professionals abroad.

    Effects of k – 12 Program

-   In his Mini Critique column that appears on the Philippine Star, Isagani Cruz summarized the Positive and Negative effects on the k to 12 debate. First, let's start on the Positive effects of k to 12.

    Positive Effects of The k - 12 Program:

   

+  Strengthen the quality of education in the Philippines.

+  Poor quality of our basic education is reflected in the low achievement scores of Filipino students.

+  Filipino students are way behind other countries according to the international test results.

+  Most graduates are too young to enter the labor force.

+  The short duration of our current system puts our OFW’s especially who re in abroad and those who intend to study in abroad at a disadvantage because our graduates are not recognized as professionals in abroad.

+ “Twelve years of education are crammed into ten years.”

+ The quality of education that we have now is reflected in the poor preparation of high school students for the world of work or higher education. An example of this is many employers don’t really hire fresh high school graduates and failing the college entrance exams of the top universities like UPCAT and ACET.

+ The short basic education program affects the human development of children.

+ The current system also reinforces the misperception that basic education is just a preparation for higher education.

  Negative Effects Of The K - 12 Program

   

- Parents have to spend more money for their children’s tuition, transportation and food.

- Students are stuck with grades 11 and 12, colleges and universities have no freshmen in 2 years.

- Drop – out cases will increase because of the extended 2 years.

- “We need to have better education, not more education.”

- The government does not have money to pay for the extended 2 years of free education since it can’t support today’s 10 years of education.

- There is no need for high school diplomas because business companies don’t accept fresh high school graduates.

-  We can do it in 10 years what everyone else takes 12 years to do.

How will k – 12 affect the student’s future plans.

- K to 12 Graduates will earn higher wages or better prepared to start their own businesses.

- K to 12 Graduates will possess competencies and skills relevant to the job market.

- K to 12 Graduates will be employable and globally competitive.

- K to 12 Graduates will be recognized abroad.

  

  Sources - http://www.gov.ph/k-12/

   http://mlephil.wordpress.com/2010/10/14/pros-cons-of-the-k12debate/ 

   Pictures are from DepEd's Website and Facebook Page

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