“Anak, hindi natin kaya yung tuition sa school na gusto mo. Tsaka nalang kapag nagcollege ka na ha?”
Aling Marta sees the disappointment in her daughter’s eyes. Kyla finished Grade 10 and is going into Senior High School now that the Kto12 Curriculum is implemented. The child insists on enrolling at a prestigious university, with a semestral tuition of tens of thousands. As much as Aling Marta wants to send her daughter to such a school, she couldn’t support the tuition fee with her salary, and it breaks her heart to see Kyla’s disappointment. Aling Marta blames it on the Kto12 Program. She does not see how people could benefit from it. She thinks it is a waste of time and money and that we shouldn’t be adapting the school system of foreign countries since not everyone will work abroad anyway.
Aling Marta is just one of the misinformed persons regarding the Kto12 Program. Although the Philippines has readily embraced and implemented this program, there are still some people who do not understand its purpose and its significance. It is important, therefore, for us to educate ourselves on the things happening in our country, that we may be well-informed. Here are some of the questions and answers of the Kto12 Program:
What is the K to 12 Program? The K to 12 program covers 13 years of basic education with the following key stages: Kindergarten to Grade 3, Grades 4 to 6, Grades 7 to 10 (Junior High School), Grades 11 and 12 (Senior High School).
Why are we implementing K to 12 Program? The Philippines is the last country in Asia and one of only three countries worldwide with a 10-year pre-university cycle. A 12-year program is found to be the best period for learning under basic education. It is also the recognized standard for students and professionals globally.
How will K to 12 affect the college curriculum?
The College General Education curriculum will have fewer units. Subjects that have been taken up in Basic Education will be removed from the College General Education curriculum.
The questions and answers written above are lifted from the Department of Education’s web page. These are just a few of the many queries we asked. For more information on the K to 12 Program, you may visit DepEd’s web page at www.deped.gov.ph/k-to-12/faq.
As a last reminder, we must keep ourselves informed and up-to-date on the things happening nationally or even locally. We must shrug off that cloak of indifference but instead involve ourselves in current events, for our own development, that of our families and eventually, our country.
Information adds to knowledge, and knowledge is power.
By Erwin Shim D. Fonite
