FQAs on K to 12

I give a lot of lectures on K to 12. At the beginning of each lecture, I give my cellphone number to the audience. They text me their questions while I am speaking, and I answer the questions in the course of my lecture. It is my way of getting instant feedback and adjusting my talk to what the audience really wants to know. It also removes the need for an open forum, where people sometimes give speeches rather than ask questions.

Here are some of the texts I have received (unedited), with my answers.

Q: May graduation po b ng gr 6 s march o dpat s gr 12 n cla graduate?

A: There will be three graduation ceremonies for public schools, one after Grade 6, one after Grade 10, and one after Grade 12. Private schools may even have graduation ceremonies after Pre-School or Kindergarten.

Q: tnong lng po...ung incming freshmen po b s june s knla po b mgsstart ang k-12 program po? tnx

A: Only students currently now in high school will not be affected. All other students will have 12 years of basic education. That means that those entering First Year High School (what will now be called Grade 7) will go through Junior and Senior High School or six years of high school. Those in elementary school will go through the entire 12 years.

Q: sa g1, wala bang overlapping ang content ng mt at filipino?

A: There are two language subjects in the first two grading periods of Grade 1: the Mother Tongue and Filipino. There is no overlap, because Reading and Writing will be taught in the subject called Mother Tongue and Speaking and Listening in the subject called Filipino.

Q: What happens to children in private schools who consider their mother tongue English? Tks

A: The mother tongue is the first language babies speak. In Philippine homes, that is rarely English. A curriculum is always designed for the majority of students. Students who were really brought up in English-only households (including the yayas) will be treated like international students.

Q: Is there a need for additional teachers for k-12?

A: Yes, of course.

Q: Hw abt Entrance Exams like UPCAT, UST, ATENEO ETC?

A: They will have to change.

Q: as an outreach program we offer a 5 yr night hi sch .Wd d k-12 does it mean +2 or 3 yrs p program?

A: DepEd says you need to add only one more year. If you have two pre-school years, then you need not add any year.

Q: Meron n po kming k1 at k2. Ok n po b un? Thanks po.

A: Your K2 counts as Grade 1. This means that you need to add only one more year if you do not have Grade 7.

Q: How about a common 2 year pre university education similar to grade 11 to 12. Entrance to university would be based on an exam similar to the nmat. And these university courses will be 3-4 years depending on the discipline. Just a thought sir.

A: That is the idea of the Senior High School. Having a national exam is still being discussed.

Q: Good am sir. How about adopting d best practices of schools implementing d 12 year basic ed, if any. We are very much confused with all these fora where there s no definite framework of implementation.

A: DepEd is adopting the best practices not only of local but also of foreign schools. To avoid confusion, do not go to all the forums!

Q: In singpore mother tongue language is used to promote local undrstanding n for nationhood whl engl is taught for global citizenhood. Shld it not b like that too for Fil? Ty po

A: Precisely.

Q: What will happen in the teaching of grammar 4 grde skul?

A: It will be taught the way it should be taught.

Q: We must w8 4 d deped drctive if d prvate skuls nid to adhere wd d k to 12.

A: DepEd already said so.

Q: Gudpm sir.i know i wud b asking 2 mch frm u.may i entreat u 2 reiterate ur conviction rgrdng ubd wen u mentioned it is a lower clas? I just want to know ur stand sir bcoz we r going 2 hve r reacrdtatn nxt skulyr.d way i got it yestrday it wil b fne if we dnt hve ubd espcialy we r in elem.tnx.

A: As far as PAASCU is concerned, UBD is not preferred over other pedagogies. In fact, UBD is not even a complete pedagogy but a mere curriculum tool.

Q: why do we have 2 go back 2 spiral math if it was not succesful b4-sedp?

A: The current segregation into separate subjects is worse.

Q: Hi Dr Isagani we are currently planning to extend our School for college Courses. Pls advice if We can pursue the plan bec of K to 12 wil the transition period affect our plan? Thnx.

A: K to 12 will affect your plan. K to 12 is the biggest reform in our educational system since the institution of free high school. It is bound to affect everybody’s education plans.