EDITORIAL - K to 12 for all

For millions of Filipinos, kindergarten and other preparatory courses before first grade used to give children with financial means an early edge in academic achievements over their underprivileged peers. With the enactment of Republic Act 10533, kindergarten is now free for all Filipinos and required for entry to first grade.

The next step is for authorities to ensure that poverty and other problems will not keep parents from sending their children to kindergarten and keeping them in school. The new law also makes the mother tongue the medium of instruction up to third grade, with English being phased in at fourth grade. This should help discourage pupils from dropping out due to language comprehension difficulties, although the bigger reason for leaving school is poverty.

While basic education is free and compulsory, studies show that the dropout rate remains high, starting in third grade and increasing in high school. Even if education is free, millions of families cannot afford even the daily transportation fare, food allowance and miscellaneous expenses for keeping a child in school. With two years added to secondary education, many students may fail to get a high school diploma.

Under RA 10533, students will be prepared to pursue either vocational courses, which offer quick employment opportunities, or regular college courses. The government can fine-tune the program to reduce the current mismatch between skills and job requirements in many local industries.

A lot of time, effort and resources went into the development of the K to 12 program, now embodied in RA 10533 or the Basic Education Program law. The measure is meant to upgrade Philippine education, whose quality has deteriorated in recent decades, and improve national competitiveness. Every effort must be made to ensure the success of its implementation.