K + 12 Program Revisited

The Philippines is ranked with poor scores in Mathematics, English and Science and to address the deficiency, the Department of Education in the Philippines has materialized the K + 12 program where Kindergarten is now a compulsory requirement before entering elementary years and the usual 10 years of basic education is now complemented with additional two years where vocational skills are realized in high school, so, that when they graduate they can be employed with their technical competencies.

The world ranking and the gap of Filipino graduates from the rest of Asia and other parts of the globe made the needed change only more valuable. Now, the government and the Filipinos can only hope that the efforts to improve the education system shall not be in vain.

The table below shows the distinction.

source: Philippine Official Gazette

 The K + 12 Program salient features are as follows:

• Strengthening Early Childhood Education (Universal Kindergarten)
• Making the Curriculum Relevant to Learners (Contextualization and Enhancement)
• Building Proficiency through Language (Mother tongue - based multi-language based) 
• Gearing Up for the Future (Senior High School)
• Ensuring Integrated and Seamless Learning (Spiral Education)
• Nurturing the Holistically Developed Filipino (College and Livelihood Readiness, 21st Century Skills)

The private and public schools along with TESDA, CHED and DEPED are in close coordination as to how the transition can be materialized. 

With the added years for schooling, some parents are anxious of the impending additional years of expenses but the educators and the rest of the stakeholders can only be hopeful that things can be realized as planned and celebrate its success with confetti and music as global competitiveness, livelihood and education for all can be achieved.

Reference:

K To 12 - Philippine Official Gazette