Benefits of the K 12 curriculum for

Filipino students!
he K-12 curriculum is more than just adding years to your child's
schooling. Read this article to know the benefits of a K-12 education in
the Philippines.
A recent change in the Philippines educational system was implemented starting
in 2011. President Aquino signed the K 12 education into law in 2013, adding
three years to the countrys basic education curriculum.
The new K 12 curriculum guide requires all Filipino students to have one year of
kindergarten, six years of elementary schooling (grades 1 to 6), four years of
junior high school (grades 7 to 10), and two years of senior high school (grades
11 to 12).

The rationale
Prior to the implementation of the K 12 curriculum guide, the Philippines was one
of only three countries in the world and the only one in Asia that still had only 10
years in basic education.
This has always been seen as a disadvantage for our students who are
competing in an increasingly global job market. The longer educational cycle of
the K 12 curriculum is seen as critical in giving Filipino students a higher quality
of education.
Read: 15 brain-boosting food that kids should eat during exam week
The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Innotech (SEAMEOInnotech) found the previous 10-year educational cycle to be congested, with a
12-year curriculum squished into 10 years.

As a result, Filipino students have trailed behind students around the world in the
areas of math, languages and science. The new curriculum is aimed to fix that.
Click Continue reading to know what the K 12 curriculum means for
Filipino students.
The K 12 curriculum is designed to enable graduates to join the work force right
after high school, and suitably prepare those who want to go on to higher
education.
The new curriculum will also support college graduates seeking work abroad.
Developed countries, according to the Department of Educations (DepEd)
briefer, view the 10-year education cycle as insufficient.
All in all, the enhanced K 12 curriculum is designed to provide a holistic
education for all. Now decongested, it will give students ample time to master
basic academic skills as well as to participate in co-curricular and community
activities.

What it means for students

The transition began in 2011, when the universal kindergarten was introduced.
Starting in 2012, schools already implemented the curriculum decongestion
mentioned in the DepEd briefer.
Public schools began having half-day classes for grade one students, with the
mother tongue as the medium of instruction. Private schools also made
adjustments in their own DepEd accredited curricula.
The adaptation of the K 12 curriculum guide means that students will graduate a
bit older compared to those who graduated under the 10-year education cycle.
Far from being disadvantageous, however, DepEd states that young adults
graduating at age 18 or so will be more prepared to take on their tertiary
education.

Click Continue reading to know more about the K 12 curriculum.

Remedial classes during the first year of college will no longer be needed, as the
high school curriculum will already be aligned with the Commission on Higher
Educations (CHED) guidelines.
The government also encourages parents to think of the K 12 curriculum guide
not as having two extra years of high school, but as two years less of higher
education.
Graduates of the new educational system will already be equipped to join the
workforce right away with the help of the electives to be offered during grades 11
to 12.
The electives, or areas of specialization, will include academics for those who
wish to pursue higher studies, technical-vocational for those who want to acquire
employable skills after high school, and sports and arts for those who are inclined
in the two fields.
Change is never easy, especially when it is about a big undertaking such as the
implementation of the new K-12 curriculum guide in the Philippines. It is high
time, however, that we join the rest of the world and improve the quality of our
basic education system and our graduates.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MARIEL UYQUIENGCO

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