K+12 project will entail P16.7 billion – Luistro

The Department of Education (DepEd) will need more than P16.7 billion in additional funds for its K+12 project.

In the same breath, Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro said their plan to add two more years to the current 10-year basic education curriculum came in different from what was expected during the celebrations of the World Teachers Day as it would add two years of “senior high school” to the current system and will be implemented beginning school year 2016-2017.

“After considering various proposals and studies, the model that is currently being proposed by DepEd is the K-6-4-2 model or the Enhanced K+12. This model involves kindergarten, 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),” Luistro said at a press conference yesterday afternoon.

To allay the concerns of various sectors, Luistro said the implementation of the program will be phased.

“Universal kindergarten will be offered starting school year 2011-2012. By school year 2012-2013, the new curriculum will be offered to incoming Grade 1 as well as to incoming junior high school students. The target of DepEd is to put in place the necessary infrastructure and other necessary arrangements needed to provide senior high school education by 2016-2017,” the DepEd chief added.

He said a full 12 years of basic education will eventually be required for enrolment into college (incoming freshmen) by school year 2018-2019.

Luistro said the two years of senior high school intend to provide time for students to “consolidate acquired academic skills and competencies.”

“The curriculum will allow specializations in science and technology, music and arts, agriculture and fisheries, sports, business and entrepeneurship and subjects for advanced placements,” the official said.

He added the program will not sidetracked the DepEd’s effort in addressing the problems besetting the basic education sector such as the lack of classrooms, textbooks, teachers and other facilities.

“The enhancement of the basic education curriculum is being undertaken hand in hand with the vigorous efforts to address adequacy of inputs. Expanding the education program will be pursued mindful of the need to address the input shortages — teachers, classrooms, desks, water and sanitation and quality textbooks,” Luistro said.

The department has already included a provision for substantial physical requirements for the 2011 budget, and Luistro said they are looking to introduce in subsequent years a budget that will constitute a significant increase not just in nominal terms but also in real terms.

The DepEd will get a P207-billion budget next year, upped from this year’s P172 billion. Of the amount, the department has allocated P12 billion for the construction of new classrooms nationwide.

Luistro said classroom shortages stood at 152,000 if the single shift classes are implemented.

At the same time, he also defended the benefits that will accrue from the program, saying they will decongest academic workload, graduates will possess competencies and skills relevant to the job market, graduates will be prepared for higher education and will be able to earn higher wages or better prepared to start their own business and they could now be recognized abroad as he noted that in the Asean region, only the Philippines has the 10-year basic education system.

The Washington Accord and the Bologna Accord to which the Philippines is one of the signatories both prescribed 12 years of basic education for university admission and practice of profession.

On the societal and economic level, the DepEd said the enhanced K+12 program will result in accelerated economic growth and provide a sound foundation for long-term socio-economic development.

“The objective of the K+12 program is to improve quality of basic education as several studies have shown that the improvements in the quality of education will increase GDP growth rate by as much as 2 percent. Studies in the United Kingdom, India and the United States show that additional years of schooling also have positive impact on society,” Luistro said.

Even with the disclosure of the plan, Luistro said they would still conduct consultations with education stakeholders.

“We would wish to hold a stakeholders discussion on the plan, also hopefully leading to a nationwide summit by the first quarter of 2011,” he added.

As to the cost of the program, the department downplayed initial prognoses of such education personalities as former DepEd Undersecretary Juan Miguel Luz that it will reach P100 billion spread over five years.

Francisco Varela, DepEd undersecretary for finance, said an initial financial survey conducted by the department may reach P43 billion.

“The preliminary capital cost is estimated at a one time P43.671 billion (classrooms, chairs, water and sanitation) while annual recurring cost (teachers, textbooks and maintenance and operating expenses) is at P16. 792 billion.

But Varela said the time frame from today up to the 2016 implementation is more than enough time to give the government to prepare the resources needed for the program’s full implementation.

Despite the rosy prediction of DepEd, several groups have reiterated their opposition to the plan.

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino said an additional two years would mean extra expenses for parents of public school goers, a majority of which belong to impoverished sectors and that it will not resolve the high rate of unemployment in the country, especially among the youth, citing January 2008 study conducted by the Department of Labor and Employment which found out that 50 percent of the unemployed 2.7 million belonged to age groups 15 to 24. Of these, 461, 000 or 35 percent were able to graduate from college, while an estimated 700,000 unemployed youth either finished high school or at least reached undergraduate college levels. –Jason Faustino, Daily Tribune