Luistro: K - 12 is Aquino administration legacy

MANILA, Philippines – Education Secretary Armin Luistro believes that the K - 12 program will be a legacy of the Aquino administration.

On the third anniversary of the signing of Republic Act 10533, which institutionalized the K-12 program, Luistro called on the public to support its implementation.

“We have not yet seen the fruits of this reform,” Luistro told media at a recent round table discussion. “In education, whatever you do now, the ultimate reform is when the students graduate.”

Under his leadership, the Department of Education (DepEd) embarked on a major reform that increased basic education in the country from 10 to 13 years.

Aside from the addition of the two-year senior high school which will be implemented starting this year, K - 12 also institutionalized kindergarten.

“I can assure you that with the additional three years, the participation rate in our schools not just in basic education but also in college will go up,” Luistro said.

Asked about his achievements as DepEd chief, Luistro said he would rather look at it as an achievement of the entire agency to embrace a major reform within limited time and budget.

“The biggest achievement of the department is the capacity for change and reform, which is a huge undertaking,” he said.

“This is a radical reform, with its own share of critics,” he added.

The DepEd chief, who is expected to step down with President Aquino on June 30, said he hopes that the next administration will continue the reforms that they have introduced in the past six years.

Luistro said their personnel, especially those who are in the divisions and the schools, have been prepared to continue with the program.

“We already downloaded the funds and we trained them,” he said, referring to teachers, principals and personnel in the division offices.

DepEd is currently preparing for the full implementation of the senior high school program, with Luistro calling on incoming Grade 11 students to enroll early to enable them to prepare, with the assignment of classrooms and teachers in designated schools.