High School and Basic Education

THE EFFECT OF K-12 TO THE STUDENTS OF ST. THOMAS ACADEMY

This study aims to know what would be the effect of K-12 to the students
“Education is the key to the long-term problems of the country. If we fix basic education, we fix the long-term problems of the country. And if we fix the country’s problems, we will build a truly strong society.”
-Pres. Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III
Well that is the solution for the education that our President facing today.
What is K-12?
K to 12 stands for Kindergarten to Grade 12. The program covers Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (one (1) year kindergarten, six (6) years of primary education, four (4) years of Junior High School, and two (2) years of Senior High School [SHS]).
K to 12 starts with Univeral Kindergarten which mandates all public elementary schools to offer kindergarten class and accept 5-year old learners beginning 2011. It is followed by six years of Elementary, four years of Junior High School, and two years of Senior High School where students will pursue their preferred career track depending on their skills and inclination.
The implementation of the K-12 education plan in the Philippine Basic Education Curriculum is the key to our nation’s development. Though the government will face many problems in the long run of the implementation of the program, there really is a need to implement it because the enhancement of the quality of our education is very urgent and critical.
The k-12 program seeks to level Philippine education with the rest of the world,with 12 years of basic schooling a global standard.
The new program seeks to cure what ails the Philippine basic and secondary education system,But not every ine agree that the additional years will result in better educated,competitive and employable graduates

What is the Vision of the Program?
Acquire mastery of basic competencies.
Be more emotionally mature.
Be socially aware, pro-active, involved in public and civic affairs.
Be adequately prepared for the world of work or entrepreneurship or higher education.
Be legally employable with potential for better earnings.
Be globally competitive.
Every graduate of the Enhanced K to 12 Basic Education Program is an empowered individual who has learned, through a program that is rooted on sound educational principles and geared towards excellence, the foundations for learning throughout life, the competence to engage in work and be productive, the ability to coexist in fruitful harmony with local and global communities, the capability to engage in autonomous critical thinking, and the capacity to transform others and one’s self.
To decongest and enhance the basic education curriculum
To provide better quality education for all
The Philippines is the only remaining country in Asia with a 10-year basic education program
K to 12 is not new. The proposal to expand the basic education dates back to 1925.
Studies in the Philippines have shown that an additional year of schooling increases earnings by 7.5%.
Studies validate that improvements in the quality of education will increase GDP growth by 2% to 2.2%.
Minus 2 instead of plus 2 for those families who cannot afford a college education but still wish to have their children find a good paying job. Right now, parents spend for at least 4 years of college to have an employable child. In our model, parents will not pay for 2 years of basic education that will give them an employable child. In effect, we are saving parents 2 years of expenses. The plan is not “Plus 2 years before graduation” but “Minus 2 years before work
To inspire a shift in attitude that completion of high school education is more than just preparation for college but can be sufficient for a gainful employment or career.

Records will show that as early as 1925, there were already efforts to improve the basic education curriculum and recommendations have been put forward since then. Thus, this idea of adding years to present curriculum is not new.
The K-12 curriculum envisions “holistically developed learners with 24th century skills” (Deped Primer, 2011). At the core of this basic education program is “the complete human development of every graduate” (Deped discussion paper). This further needs that every student would have an understanding of the world around him and fashion for life-long learning while addressing every student’s basic learning needs: ”learning to learn, the acquisition of numeracy, literacy, and scientific and technological knowledge as applied to daily life”.
Graduates of K-12 Basic Education Program are envisaged to be better prepared for life as they are expected to be emotionally developed and competent to live a meaningful life and be socially aware, pro-active and involved i public and civic affairs.
What will society gain from K to 12
K to 12 will facilitate an accelerated economic growth.
K to 12 will facilitate mutual recognition of Filipino graduates and professionals in other countries.
A better educated society provides a sound foundation for long-term socio-economic development.
Several studies have shown that the improvements in the quality of education will increase GDP growth by as much as 2%. Studies in the UK, India and US show that additional years of schooling also have positive overall impact on society.

Historical Background
As early as 1925, studies have observed the inadequacy of the basic education curriculum. As one of the most well studied reforms, recommendations of either adding or restoring 7th grade or adding an extra year to basic education have been put forward.a) Monroe Survey (1925): Secondary education did not prepare for life and recommended training in agriculture, commerce, and industry. b) Prosser Survey (1930): Recommended to improve phases of vocational education such as 7th grade shopwork, provincial schools, practical arts training in the regular high schools, home economics, placement work, gardening, and agricultural education.c) UNESCO Mission Survey (1949): recommended the restoration of Grade 7. d) Education Act. of 1953: under Section 3, mandates that “[t]he primary course shall be composed of four grades (Grades I to IV) and the intermediate course of three grades (Grade V to VII).” e) Swanson Survey (1960): Recommended the restoration ofGrade 7. f) Presidential Commission to Survey Philippine education (PCSPE) (1970): High priority be given to the implementation of an 11-year program; Recommended program consists of 6 years of compulsory elementary education and 5 years ofsecondary education.g) Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) Report (1991): If one year is to be added in the education program, it recommends one of two alternatives: Seven years of elementary education or Five years of secondary education h) Presidential Commission on Educational Reforms (2000): Reform proposals include the establishment of a one-year pre-baccalaureate system that would also bring the Philippines at par with other countries Insufficient mastery of basic competence
Students are able to learn best through their first language, their Mother Tongue (MT). Twelve (12) MT languages have been introduced for SY 2012-2013: Bahasa Sug, Bikol, Cebuano, Chabacano, Hiligaynon, Iloko, Kapampangan, Maguindanaoan, Meranao, Pangasinense, Tagalog, and Waray. Other local languages will be added in succeeding school years.
Aside from the Mother Tongue, English and Filipino are taught as subjects starting Grade 1, with a focus on oral fluency. From Grades 4 to 6, English and Filipino are gradually introduced as languages of instruction. Both will become primary languages of instruction in Junior High School (JHS) and Senior High School (SHS).
After Grade 1, every student can read in his or her Mother Tongue. Learning in Mother Tongue also serves as the foundation for students to learn Filipino and English easily.Ensuring Integrated and Seamless Learning (Spiral Progression)

What is the K-12 curriculum all about?
According to the DepEd discussion paper (2010), the K-12 curriculum aims to enable every child “to achieve mastery of core competencies and skills” (p.6) and develop tracks based on the student’s interests and competencies. The focus of K-12 is twofold: curriculum enhancement and transition management. Curriculum enhancement – With the K-6-4-2 model, the 2 years for senior high school is aimed at giving the students time to strengthen competencies and academic skills. The curriculum will also provide specializations in the following: science and technology, music and arts, agriculture and fisheries, sports, business and entrepreneurship, etc, depending on the occupation or career that they intend to pursue. These two years will build on skills that are essential to their chosen field.
Transition management - The DepEd mentions in their discussion paper (2010) that they are “preparing a carefully sequenced implementation plan to ensure smooth transition with the least disruption” in the current program.
According to Education Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro, the new curriculum is focused more on the learners and not on the teacher. Luistro said, “We are making it a real learning experience for the students, meaning, it will be less on memorization and more encouraging of critical thinking”. In addition to this, a mother tongue-based multi-lingual education (MTB-MLE) will be used for instruction in Kinder to Grade 3 classes after studies showed that students learn more when their language at home is used in discussing the lessons in school. Also, there will be less contact time as Grade 1 pupils will only attend school for half a day instead of 6 hours. Luistro explains, “It is important that our learners develop that natural love for learning and not feel that it is something imposed on them…we will reduce it to four hours to make education less stressful and more enjoyable.”
For the first year high school curriculum, Luistro mentions that the lessons will be more interactive and meaningful to everyday life. This means that Science will be reflected in terms of its practical use. He further explains, “as students go up the ladder, we want them to learn skills that are being demanded by employers while at the same time giving them the chance to appreciate and enjoy the lessons”. For instance, Luistro stresses that Science is to be integrated in all learning areas since it is a complex subject. He further expounds, “the focus of early education (Kinder to Grade 2) should be the fundamental skills and literacy of the pupils to develop better comprehension for more complicated subjects such as science”.
A study done by SEAMEO points out that the current curriculum allots about 1,100 minutes per week in elementary education to Science, which will change with the introduction of K-12. Luistro says, “this, coupled with teaching more competencies, imply congestion in our current elementary Science curriculum.” To address this, Science will now be integrated into the teaching of the Language, Mathematics and Health under MAPEH subjects beginning at Kindergarten.
Prof. Calingasan further explains that the K-12 curriculum for Social Studies will instead center on historical thinking skills rather than memory work (of dates, names, regions, capitals, etc) and accumulation of facts. She mentions examples of thinking skills such as “weighing the evidence of any information, using primary source evidence, analyzing and interpreting information, manifesting ethical standards (e.g., respect for differences, recognition of sources of evidence/idea). The K-12 Social Studies curriculum will also teach students about local history.”
Who will be affected by this program?
Prof. Calingasan explains that incoming Grade 1 and Grade 7 students by school year 2012-2013 are the ones who will be directly affected by the K-12 program. According to a DepEd briefer on K-12, the Department will begin implementing the curriculum in school year 2012-2013. As mentioned in the article, “the enhanced 12-year curriculum will be implemented starting with incoming Grade 1 students. Incoming freshmen of SY 2012-2013 will be the first beneficiaries of a free Senior High School education that will be made available by DepEd in public schools beginning in SY 2016-2017.”

What are the benefits of this program?
Prof. Calingasan explains that “while parents may look at this as extended expense i.e., paying tuition for another 2 years in high school, this would offset itself since the competencies one would learn from the additional years are the same ones which the first two years of general education in college teach.” The DepEd primer (2011) specifies the benefits to individuals and families:
1. A decongested academic workload, giving students more time to master competencies and for co-curricular activities and community involvement, thus, allowing for a more holistic development;
2. Graduates will possess competencies and skills relevant to the job market and they will be prepared for higher education;
3. K-12 is affordable;
4. The potential annual earnings of a K-12 graduate will be higher compared to the earnings of a 10-year high school graduate;
5. Graduates will be recognized abroad.

The benefits of K-12 curriculum for the society and the economy are:
1. It will contribute to economic growth. Studies show that improvements in the quality of education increases GDP growth. According to the DepEd (2010), studies in the country have reflected that an additional year of school increases the earnings by 7.5% and that improvements in the quality of education will enable the GDP grow by 2-2.2%.
2. It will facilitate the recognition of Filipino graduates and professionals in other countries
3. A better educated society provides a sound foundation for long-term socio-economic development.
What will this mean for students and their future?
”Definitely this will mean that they will graduate late (by present reference point), but on another perspective, will mean that they will be more mature when they enter college, or that they will be ready for work,” explains Prof. Calingasan.
The DepEd, in its 2010 discussion paper, explains further that every graduate of the K-12 program will have “the courage, the drive, and the relevant skills to engage in work and have a productive life” (p.6). This means that every graduate is ready to take upon the world as he is prepared holistically to meet those challenges.
The goal of the K-12 curriculum is to create a purposeful basic education system that will “produce productive, responsible citizens equipped with the essential competencies and skills for both life-long learning and employment” (p.7).
To summarize, the K-12 curriculum speaks about hope and change for the country. As our culture puts great value on education, it is about time that our national government supports this fully. The K-12 honors every Filipino child’s right to better future as it is designed to “develop a learner who possesses a healthy mind and body; has a solid moral and spiritual grounding; has essential knowledge and skills for lifelong learning and self-actualization; engages in critical thinking and creative problem solving; contributes to the development of a progressive, just, and humane society; is proud to be a Filipino and appreciates the beauty around him/her and cares for the environment for a sustainable future.”
Indeed, K-12 is every Filipino child’s future.

Discussion of K-12
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the K-12 program or the additional 2 years to Basic Education?

ADVANTAGES
To Individuals and Families
1. An enhanced curriculum will decongest academic workload, giving students more time to master competencies and skills as well as time for other learning opportunities beyond the classroom, thus allowing for a more holistic development.

2. Graduates will possess competencies and skills relevant to the job market. The K+12 proposal will be designed to adjust and meet the fast-changing demands of society to prepare graduates with skills essential for the world of

3. Graduates will be prepared for higher education. Due to an enhanced curriculum that will provide relevant content and attuned with the changing needs of the times, basic education will ensure sufficient mastery of core subjects to its graduates such that graduates may opt to pursue higher education if they choose to.

4. Graduates will be able to earn higher wages and/or better prepared to start their own business. There is a strong correlation between educational attainment and wage structure and studies specific to the Philippine setting show that an additional year of schooling increases earnings by 7.5%. This should also allow greater access to higher education for self-supporting students.

5. Graduates could now be recognized abroad. Filipino graduates, e.g. engineers, architects, doctors, etc., could now be recognized as professionals in other countries. Those who intend to study abroad will meet the entrance requirements of foreign schools. (Cruz,2010)

For the Society and the Economy

6. The economy will experience accelerated growth in the long run. The objective of the K+12 programs is to improve quality of basic education. Several studies have shown that the improvements in the quality of education will increase GDP growth by as much as 2%. Studies in the UK, India and US show that additional years of schooling also have positive overall impact on society.

7. The Philippine education system will be at par with international standards. K+12 will facilitate mutual recognition of Filipino graduates and professionals following the Washington Accord and the Bologna Accord.

8. A better educated society provides a sound foundation for long-term socioeconomic development. The Enhanced K+12 Basic Education system will contribute to the development of emotionally and intellectually mature individuals capable of pursuing productive employment or entrepreneurship or higher education disciplines. (Cruz,2010)

DISADVANTAGES

1. Parents have to shell out more money (for transportation and food) for education of their children.

2. The government does not have the money to pay for two more years of free education, since it does not even have the money to fully support today’s ten years. DepEd must first solve the lack of classroom, furniture and equipment, qualified teachers, and error- free textbooks.

3. Filipinos right now are accepted in prestigious graduate schools in the world, even with only ten years of basic education.

4. As far as the curriculum is concerned, DepEd should fix the current subjects instead of adding new ones. The problem is the content, not the length, of basic education. As an editorial put it, we need to have better education, not more education.

5. A high School diploma will not get anybody anywhere, because business firms will not hire fresh high school graduates.

6. Every family dreams of having a child graduate from college.

7. While students are stuck in Grade 11 and 12, colleges and universities will have no freshmen for two years. This will spell financial disaster for many private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
8. The drop-out rate will increase because of the two extra years. (Cruz, 2010)

Will the parents agree or disagree to the K- 12 program?

The additional two years in basic education may not be the only answer to the quality of the educational system. Quality may also depend on the curriculum, the quality of educators and the facilities provided for by the school campuses. With the continuing increase in school tuition, the upgrade on quality education should have already been included. The additional two years will only be to the advantage of the schools and will only make education a more lucrative business. The question remains. Will the new system assure graduates of employment after graduation? If not, the DepEd should instead enhance what we already have and not add to the burden of education. (Malou, 2010)

K-12 will give more job opportunities to high school graduates. It will make more globally competitive Filipino students and it will maximize their time on choosing their career base on their ability. (Jennifer, 2011)
I agree in K+12 it is because that students will have more time to choose the right course that best suits in their skills and they will be more capable and matured to confront college career, which is a new special field endeavor.( Anonymous, 2011 )
It depends on the value of education, not on the duration. Why not give more support and develop the schools and students' potentials? I think it is more effective to attain the excellent literacy of every Filipino youth. (Liezel, 2011)
This is part of President Benigno "NoyNoy" Aquino III's Educational Reform Program. The P-Noy Administration believes that adding more years to basic education in the Philippines could help solve the problem of unemployment, keep up with global standards, and help filipino students to have more time to choose the career that best suits their skills.
It’s a given fact that the Aquino administration has good intentions in implementing this K-12 plan. But no matter how good these intentions are, there would still be parts of the society who would give them a hard time making this education amendment. Sadly, the Philippine education system is far behind other countries’. If this K-12 plan would push through, help the concerned parties have that optimism that this would bring our education system a few notches higher. Make everybody realize that yes, we do have quality education here and we are able to produce skillful, well-rounded, and competent young citizens.
Education in the Philippines has and always been a treasure for all Filipinos who wish to improve life a little bit especially those belonging to the middle and low income group. But with the advent of the K+12 Basic program of the Department of Education where formal education starts from Kindergarten, six years in elementary, three years junior high school and two years senior high school. Counting the number of years that parents will devote to spending for their children's education means more work, more efforts to exert, more waiting years before they will finally see their children graduate from basic education. Parents think of the longer period before they can witness their children earn their living, a common dream of a typical Filipino parent.
However, if this program will be fully materialized, Filipino graduates of basic education become highly comparable and competent as with their other Asian and global counterparts. Parents may shell more for school needs but they just have to think that their children can already enroll in other countries, if they wish to, because of the competitive basic education curriculum. This should be the thinking of a rational parent, a must for a progressive country like in the Philippines.