Principals to tackle K to 12 challenges

MANILA, Philippines - Principals of public secondary schools nationwide will gather later this month for a three-day conference to tackle the challenges posed by the full implementation of the senior high school program in 2016.

The National Association of Public Secondary Schools of the Philippines will hold the national conference of principals from July 31 to Aug. 2 at the Bacolod Pavilion Hotel.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said the gathering aims “to take cognizance of the roles of school principals in instituting educational reforms for the realization of the goals and objectives of Philippine Basic Education at the secondary level.”

The target participants are secondary school principals, schools division and regional senior high school coordinators.

This year’s fourth-year students will be the last batch of graduates from a four-year high school curriculum.

Next year’s senior students (Grade 10) will have to go to Grade 11 by June 2016, which is the target full implementation of the senior high school program under the K to 12 law.

The new basic education curriculum will consist of one-year kindergarten, six years of elementary and six years of high school.

The additional two years in high school will serve as a specialization period for students, whether in vocational skills, music, arts or sports.

Luistro earlier urged public and private colleges and universities that plan to offer programs for senior high school to base their programs on the kind of jobs needed in their respective areas.

“If the schools will offer the same courses, the graduates will compete for the same job. But if their programs will be specialized, they can focus on jobs as well as business opportunities available in their areas,” he said.

A DepEd report showed up to 81,637 new teachers may be required upon the rollout of the senior high school program (Grades 11 and 12) between school years 2016-2017 and 2017-2018.