improving the philippine education system through the kto12

Improving the Philippine

Education System through the K to 12 Education Program

The Philippines is committed to achieving its Education for All (EFA) goals not only for the development of each Filipino, but also for the overall social and economic progress of the country. Part of the Philippine Education For All Plan of Action 2015, is Critical Task No. 5, “the expansion of basic education, targeting that by 2015, the Philippines has lengthened its cycle of basic education schooling to make it twelve years.”

The Department of Education (DepEd) and allied stakeholders are responding to the urgent and critical need to improve the quality of basic education in the Philippines through a major education reform known as K to 12, which means kindergarten and the six years of elementary and six years of secondary education. The reform includes decongesting and enhancing the basic education curriculum for learners to master basic competencies, lengthening the cycle of basic education to cover kindergarten through year 12.

Expanding the basic education by adding kindergarten and two years in high school ensures that graduates earn the necessary skills and reach the employable age to qualify entrance into the world of work, if they desire or need to do so. On the other hand, graduates who opt to go to tertiary education are deemed better prepared for college study/work.

Educational Reforms

Expanding the duration of basic education. The Philippines is the only country in Southeast Asia and one of the only three countries in the world with a ten-year program prior to entry to the university.

Educational Reforms

Two more years of basic education will be added to the existing four-year high school program to extend the basic education from ten years to 12 years. Aside from two years in high school, one year of kindergarten has now become part of basic education.

Educational Reforms

The K to 12 basic education curriculum will prepare students with life skills that they earn while schooling. The curriculum will enable students to acquire Certificates of Competency (COCs) and National Certifications (NCs) issued by the Technical Skills Development Authority (TESDA). These NCs signify that K to 12 graduates have acquired middle level skills and will have better opportunities for gainful employment. The additional years will also ensure that K to 12 graduates are better prepared for college.

Main Features of the Enhanced K to 12 Curriculum

In the old curriculum, so much knowledge, skills, and values were expected to be learnt by students within a limited period of time. Moreover, learning tended to be more focused on content, which was fragmented and disintegrated. These could be some reasons why many Filipino students failed to master the competencies and gain lifelong learning skills necessary for a productive life.


The K to 12 Education Program addresses these shortcomings by reforming the basic education curriculum. The following are some features of the curriculum:


The K to 12 curriculum is decongested. The new curriculum focuses on understanding for mastery and has removed the unnecessarily repeated competencies.

The K to 12 curriculum is seamless. This ensures smooth transition between grade levels and continuum of competencies through spiral progression where learning of knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes increases in depth and breadth. There is also continuity of competencies and standards from elementary to secondary level through a unified curriculum framework. The unified standards and competencies ensures integration of what learners learn across grade levels and across learning areas for a more meaningful learning.

Main Features of the Enhanced K to 12 Curriculum The K to 12 curriculum is relevant and

responsive as it centers on the Filipino learner; it is developmentally appropriate (age appropriate) and focuses on succeeding in the 21st century. Moreover, the curriculum responds to the needs of the community: an agricultural town may offer agricultural elective courses; a coastal area, fishery elective courses; an urban area, industrial arts. Learning will be systematically matched with labor market requirements.


K to 12 Curriculum is enriched. It uses integrative, inquiry-based and constructive approaches to develop the competencies of learners.

K to 12 curriculum is learner-centered. It focuses on the optimum development of the Filipino child.

GENERAL INFORMATION The meaning of K to 12 K to 12 means Kindergarten and the 12 years of elementary and secondary education. Kindergarten refers to the five-year old cohort that takes a standardized kindergarten curriculum. Elementary education refers to primary schooling that involves six years of education (Grades 1 to 6). Secondary education refers to four years of junior high school (Grades 7 to 10) and two years of senior high school (Grades 11 to 12).

GENERAL INFORMATION

Vision of K to 12

“We need to add two years to our basic education. Those who can afford pay up to 14 years of schooling before university. Thus, their children are getting into the best universities and the best jobs after graduation. I want at least 12 years for our public school children to given them an even chance of succeeding.”

-President Benigno Aquino III

GENERAL INFORMATION

The K to 12 Basic Education Program aims to produce Filipino graduates who are holistically-developed with 21st century skills prepared for higher education, middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship. Having quality education as a long-term solution to underemployment, malnutrition, and poverty and is line with the agenda of the Aquino administration.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Filipino graduates are envisioned to:

• Possess sufficient mastery of basic competencies (e.g., literacy, numeracy, problem solving, etc) to develop themselves to the fullest;

• Be emotionally developed and competent to live a meaningful life;

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Be socially aware, pro-active, and involved in public and civic affairs and contribute to the development of a progressive, just and humane society;

• Be adequately prepared for the world of work or entrepreneurship or higher education;

• Be legally employable; and

• Be globally competitive.

GENERAL INFORMATION

In addition, they are characterized as graduates who:

• Possess healthy mind and body

• Have a solid moral and spiritual grounding

• Appreciate and care for humanity, the world, and environment

• Are proud to be a Filipino

The K to 12 Graduate

The New Learning Goals

The K to 12 Curriculum is focused on the learner’s acquisition of the 21st century skills as follows:

1. Learning and Innovation skills

1.1 Creativity and curiosity

1.2 Critical thinking, problem solving, and risk-taking

1.3 Adaptability, managing complexity and self-direction

1.4 Higher-order thinking and sound reasoning


2. Information, media, and technology skills

2.1 Visual and information literacies

2.2 Media literacy

2.3 Basic, scientific, economic, and technological literacies

2.4 Multicultural literacy and global awareness


3. Effective Communication Skills

3.1 Teaming, collaboration and interpersonal skills

3.2 Personal, social, and civic responsibility

3.3 Interactive communication

4. Life and Career Skills 4.1 Flexibility and adaptability 4.2 Initiative and self-direction 4.3 Social and cross-cultural

skills 4.4 Productivity and

accountability 4.5 Leadership and responsibility


Significant Changes in the Curriculum

Prior to K to 12 Education, the elementary and secondary schools were using the 2002 Basic Education Curriculum (BEC). Then in 2010, the Secondary Education Curriculum (SEC) was introduced in high school in school year 2010-2011. Both the BEC and SEC aim for functional literacy. The K to 12 Curriculum aims for holistic development and acquisition of 21st century skills.

The BEC 2002 focuses on the development of reading skills and values of self-reliance and patriotism. It also puts emphasis on interactive learning approaches and integrative teaching approaches which integrate competencies and values within and across the learning areas.

On the other hand, SEC 2010, which follows an Understanding by Design (UbD) framework, focuses on setting of learning standards and teaching for understanding. It provides a personalized approach using special curricular programs. It likewise develops readiness and passion for work and lifelong learning. Moreover, SEC 2010 takes into consideration the various contexts and support systems surrounding the Filipino learners.

The K to 12 curriculum considers every aspect of development of the learners so that graduates will be holistically developed, equipped with 21st century skills and prepared for employment, entrepreneurship, middle level skills or higher education.

In developing the K to 12 curriculum, various philosophical and legal bases were taken into consideration. As a learner-centered curriculum, K to 12 considers the nature and the needs of the learners. Moreover, it responds to the local and global needs.

The K to 12 curriculum likewise affirms the important role that various stakeholders play in education such as administrators in the various levels of DepEd, other government agencies, non-government organizations, private sector, and the learners’ family and community. It also entails curriculum and instructional supports.

Comparison of the Curriculum of the Old Education and K to 12 Education

The K to 12 basic education curriculum framework shows that the K to 12 basic education curriculum has the following salient features:

• It focuses on the holistic development of the learner .

• It is outcome-based as it prepares learners for:

1) higher education, 2) middle level skills, 3) employment, and 4) entrepreneurship

• It is anchored on the principles of:

1) inclusive education, 2) learners’ growth and development, 3) teaching and learning, and 4) assessment.

The desired outcomes of the K to 12 program are defined in expectancies which are in the form of content and performance standards that are specified in the curriculum of each learning area:

• Content standards are what the students should know (facts and information), what they do (process or skills), and what understanding they construct as they process the information. The students are expected not only to understand but also to demonstrate what they learn, thus providing evidence of learning.

• Performance standards are what students do or how they use their learning and understanding. The students are expected to produce products and/or performances to prove that they can apply what they learn in real-life situations.

Comparison of the 2002 BEC and K to 12 Education Structure