DepEd holds summit for K to 12

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd) continues to exert effort especially for parents to understand that the “K to 12” program is not about adding two years in basic education but about the change of the current curriculum to a new curriculum that is at par with that of the rest of the world.

 “Dapat maintindihan nang tao na hindi ito dagdag two years sa basic education but this is the result of the education reform we want to implement. Dapat tingnan nila ito nang malalim dahil mas malaki ang mga benefits nito for their children,” Deped Secretary Armin Luistro said in an interview with the press.

Luistro was in Cebu yesterday with officials of the Commission on Higher Education and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority for the Pre-Summit Conference for the K to 12 education program in  Ecotech Center Sudlon, Lahug, Cebu City.

The conference was aimed at spreading information about the new curriculum for the 12 years basic education which will be implemented in the country.

The K to 12 basic education program means kindergarten and the 12 years of elementary and secondary education.

Kindergarten refers to the five-year old who undergoes a standardized kinder curriculum. Elementary education refers to primary schooling that involves six years of education (grades one to 6) while secondary education refers to four years of junior high schools (grades 7 to 10 or high school 1 to 4) and the two years of senior high school (grades 11 to 12 or high school 5 to 6).

The implementation of the K to 12 program will be by phase. The universal kindergarten was implemented starting this school year 2011 to 2012.

By school year 2012-2013, the new curriculum will be offered to incoming grade one as well as to incoming junior high school students (grade 7).

Luistro said that by school year 2016-2017, Deped targeted to put in place the necessary infrastructure and other arrangements needed to provide senior high school. 

The reason in implementing the new curriculum is the inadequate preparation in pursuing a higher education and the increase in drop-outs every year.

It also shows in the study of SEAMEAO-INNOTECH that Philippines is the only country offering a ten-year basic education compared to other countries in Asia.

The attendees of the summit came from Region six, seven, eight and nine and other organizations related to education.

The DepEd is giving in-service training to implement the program for the teachers. The training of the aspiring teachers will also be modified to conform to the requirements of the program, Luistro said.

Teachers of the schools have no additional workload due to the implementation of the new basic education program. They still have only six hours of teaching as the Magna Carta Public schools provides. — (FREEMAN)