For incoming kindergarten pupils Pre-registration set on Jan. 27

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Education has scheduled a pre-registration on January 27 for incoming kindergarten pupils in the next school year.

DepEd Assistant Secretary Tonistio Umali said the pre-registration is part of the universal public kindergarten program to prepare the children to enter primary school.

Umali said the program is part of the DepEd’s education for all campaign to accomplish the country’s Millennium Development Goal for education.

According to Umali, the program focuses on the incoming kindergarten pupils but also encourages incoming grade one and first year high school students to pre-register.

 Umali said this is to enable the department to know the number of incoming pupils and to allow them to make the necessary preparations.

 Umali said a memorandum was already issued to the different public schools to prepare for the pre-registration of students.

Interested pupils are encouraged to coordinate with their local schools for them to be included in the program.

 Umali on the other hand said that the impending implementation of DepEd’s biggest program, the K+12 will definitely change the way the current educational system has been for years.

Although he admitted that it will also be a magnet of criticisms and negative comments and even uproar from the public. But he persisted that they have answers to all of the criticisms and queries on the K+12 program. “May sagot kami sa lahat ng batikos nila,” Umali added.

Umali argues that by adapting this new program, students will be “holistically mature” even after high school graduation.

He added that through K+12, student will be better equipped and will have the option to proceed to college “being so competitive” or to have their “own business after they have consolidated the skills that they have mastered.”

 “They can already be employed because they are already competent enough,” he added.

In general, DepEd is aiming to produce educationally mature 18-year-old graduates by giving them more time to study and master necessary employable skills. He however said an amendment of the law is necessary before it can be implemented. – (FREEMAN)