Republic of the Philippines

State Universities and Colleges

GUIMARAS STATE COLLEGE
GRADUATE SCHOOL

The department of education, DepEd Order 20 series of 2018 entitled

Amendment to DepEd Order 47 s. 2016., Otherwise known as the “Omnibus Policy
on Kindergarten Education”., Clarifying that the Cut-off Age Policy is applicable to
Both Public and Private Schools and Providing for Transitory Provisions to
accommodate Kinder and Grade One Enrollees for SY 2018-2019 and SY 2019-
2020 who may be Affected by this policy and for Other Purposes. This three-page
Dep-Ed order dated 19 April 2018 only had two major points which are (1) changing
the implementation of DO 47 s. 2016 and (2) postponing the full implementation of
this DepEd Order 47 up to SY. 2020-2021.
With respect to the above DepEd order. I would like to share my views and
opinion to this matter. This may not seem to be so much of a big deal. However,
somehow this has drastic implications in the field which enacted DO. 47. S 2016
for the previous years. The issue with this is -if it is played within the gray areas of
one year, five years old and prerequisite for grade 1. Section C of DO 20. S. 2018
is actually doing that with this RA 10157. However, it is quite obvious that RA
10157 is definitely stating that a student should be 5 years old before kindergarten.
The reason for this is because the statement started with one-year preparatory
education for children at least 5 years old. The word at least is stating a condition
in order to be eligible for a preparatory education which was referring to
Kindergarten.
Many early childhood advocates believe that children learn on their own
pace. One of Heather Shumaker’s quote says: Don’t rush kids into academic
learning before ages six or seven. It’s a waste of their precious time. Child
development moves at the pace of evolution. Accept its natural pace; don’t try to
accelerate it. Playing ball, blocks and dress-up is exactly what your child needs to
do, learning in her own time, at her own rate. Young kids need ample time to
explore and play-their brain and emotional health depend on it.
 Republic of the Philippines
State Universities and Colleges
GUIMARAS STATE COLLEGE
GRADUATE SCHOOL

There are contrasting views among the stakeholders. Some parents of

learners adversely affected by the cut off age policy for kinder saying that the said
policy, indubitably causes grave and irreparable injury to them as it unjustly
infringes upon their clear and unmistakable right to rear their children and direct
their education.
Yet, educators believe that the prominence of early childhood education in
children’s lives is now beyond questions. An initial start to life is well recognized as
the foundation to future development. Not only have the children who participate
in early childhood program get benefit but also the families and community.
It has been shown that children who attended early childhood centers of
high quality were more successful at school, remained at school longer, and
continued to achieve more after they had left school. They grew up feeling a sense
of belonging in their community and society and were more able to take control of
their own lives. (Early Childhood Development, 2001).
I’m basically not a kindergarten student, neither a parent nor a DepEd
personnel. I may not be able to realize the meaning and purpose underlying it. But
I certainly believe that the effectiveness of this order will be determined through
the future’s success of the learners. May it bring the best out of the learner and
help them grow holistically.
 Republic of the Philippines
State Universities and Colleges
GUIMARAS STATE COLLEGE
GRADUATE SCHOOL

The Department of education, DepEd Memorandum no. 083 s 2018, entitled

National Music Competitions for Young Artists in pursuant to the Presidential
Proclamation No. 25. s. 1998 which is the last week of November of each year is
designated as the National Music Week in which the NAMCYA Competitions are
the main focus of the celebration.
The launching of 2018 National Music Competition for young Artists
(NAMCYA) which is spearheaded by the National Music Competitions for Young
Artists Foundation Inc. in cooperation with the Department of Education
Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Cultural Center of the Philippines
(CCP), and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) justifies Howard
Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences.
For people who are musically inclined this competition shall be a
breakthrough for them to showcase their talent outside their comfort zone. For
music educators, in particular, the idea of a “musical intelligence” highlights the
value of arts in education. Gardner argued, that everyone possesses some
capacity in all the intelligences,” which he referred to as “ways of knowing and
understanding yourself and the world around you. Thus, it encourages educators
to create environments in which all these capacities can be explored.
Recognizing every student’s ability may encourage other learners to come
out and be who they are knowing that their special ability is being acknowledged
by the society. In a friendly competition, we hope to see and recognize the talent
within the students who were deeply ignored in the past not knowing that learners
are individuals and diverse with their respective talents and abilities…

Submitted by: Mary Rose A. Bonite