“Education is one of the keys toward success.” Throughout the history, societies used education to educate people, produce goods and services, conceive talented and skillful individuals, respond effectively and creatively to the world, and satisfy their curiosity, needs and aesthetic impulses to achieve people’s needs and acquire reliable an systematic knowledge.
We all know that our country is experiencing global financial crisis. The National Government and the Department of Education is planning to extend the basic education into the enhance K-12 basic Education program in schools nationwide, formerly known as K+12, as one of the solutions that would help solve the long term problems of our country. In addition to kindergarten, the new program will set six years of elementary education, four years of junior high school (Grades 7 to 10) and two years of senior high school (Grades 11 to 12). Educators from public and private schools, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) are carefully studying the program if to be practiced in the present curriculum.
The curriculum will also allow specializations. Students can choose from various career tracks to pursue depending on their inclinations may it be in Fisheries and Agriculture, Entrepreneurship, Science and Technology, Sports, Music and Arts, Business and others. They will be graduating at the age of 18 and expected to be fully armed to enter the world of work without even having a college degree or bachelor’s degree.
The program also pushes for the strengthening of the technical-vocational schools nationwide wherein tech-voc education is one of the tracks to be included in the 11th and 12th grade under the K-12.
“One of the deficiencies of the current ten year education program is that a school diploma is really expected as a way medium or as a passport to a respectable employment,” said DepEd Secretary Armin A. Luistro.
Sec. Luistro said that he wants an “an enhanced curriculum with an end product of making sure that graduates have the required competencies, talents, skills and also attitudes in pursuing their works. He also said that “what we want is a seamless transition from the current to the enhanced curriculum that is more responsive to learn the needs of the students and the community.”
This program is quite good, but this will entail additional budget for qualified teachers, additional classrooms, supplies and facilities, textbooks and etc. it is very hard for parents to spend more money for the education of their children. It is also an additional burden to the families who hardly send their children in school. It is also hard for students to stay longer in high school. We Filipinos are smart, we have brain, we have skills and we can compete globally through our acquired knowledge. However, the government believed that the K-12 Basic Education Program will uplift the quality of education and lifestyle of the Filipino people. It aims to equip students with various competencies that will prepare them to the working world.
The program also aims to fully enhance and develop the standards of the students in order for them to be well-prepared especially in emotional and cognitive aspects.
The parents, students and teachers have nothing to worry of the shortages in schools because the DepEd continue to pursue the resources gaps in shortage of teachers, classrooms, quality textbooks, school equipment and other learning supplements according to Sec. Luistro.
Nothing is impossible when we persist. For the teachers, the future of our students depends upon you, so continue to tech with love despite of your personal triumphs and economic crisis. For the parents and guardians who are pursuing and giving the best for the education of your children, remember that the program proposed by the government aims for the welfare benefits of your children. It will help the students become globally competitive individuals. If they will succeed their journey, the parents will also succeed.
There are many factors to consider for the K-12, but if we take it on a positive way, we can attain our most-aspired educational standards of education and in uplifting our country from poverty.
