K+12 good for employment, says Luistro

But teachers’ group remains wary

MANILA, Philippines – Once the flagship education program of the Aquino administration is fully implemented, Filipino graduates would be equipped with at least two foreign languages and a broader view of the labor market.

In fact, Education Secretary Armin Luistro said college years may be cut by at least a year as the most basic in the education curriculum will already be dealt with from grades 1 to 12.

The so-called “K+12” program involves kindergarten, six years of elementary education, four years of junior high school (or grades 7 to 10) and two years of senior high school (grades 11 to 12).

The two years of “senior high school” will then provide the student the basic education that he or she usually gets in the first two years of college, Luistro explained.

The Department of Education (DepEd) will implement the program this year, which means that those who graduated in grade 6 this year will add two more years to their high school experience.

Not a burden

Luistro dismissed criticisms the program will only burden parents already having a difficult time sending their kids to school.

He explained that a graduate of a ten-year basic education program still has a hard time getting a job in the labor market because of the lack of experience and knowledge.

With the additional two years of senior high school, “the maturity of the student” would have developed.

The student would already be 18 years old by the time he or she leaves the 12-year program, Luistro explained, “so he or she can already work legally.”

He said the whole point of the program is not adding the years, but “reforming the curriculum.”

New languages learned

By the end of 12 grade levels, the student should be adept in Filipino, English, his or her own mother tongue and another foreign language.

He explained Grade 1 will be mother-tongue based, but there will be separate subjects in Filipino and English. In grades 11 and 12, the student will choose among Mandarin, French, Spanish, German or Nihonggo.

The additional 2 senior high school levels will expectedly create a void in college enrolment, he said.

“For sure, enrolment will go down but we will plan how to resolve this,” Luistro said.

Teachers still apprehensive

Despite the reforms, stakeholders remain apprehensive.

In a statement, the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition said: “While the Department of Education (DepEd) is doing everything to close the gaps and that includes solicitation from private donors, partnership with LGUs and indirect contributions from parents and students like in Brigada Eskwela, these small measures would not be enough considering the ever-growing necessities of public education sector,” the group said.

“The national government, specifically the president, should make the first move and put the education budget in his priorities.” –Ira Pedrasa, ABS-CBNnews.com