K+12 did not change old teaching system

Written By: editors on June 24, 2012 No Comment

By DELIA BAGNI
www.nordis.net
BAGUIO CITY — According to Pines City National Highs School Principal Rachel M. Bugtong, the K+12 curriculum only shortened the time for each subject and did not really change the old teaching system.
While government sees the program K+12 to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship skill of students, the principal says otherwise.
“Kung saan tayo kinulang doon pa tayo nabawasan,” (there was reduction to where we are lacking) says Bugtong.
            Originally, five hours is spent for English and Math subjects in a week and six hours for Science. With the k+12 system, it is reduced to four hours per week, five hours for Science.
Bugtong said that the part where the country’s students still lack skill is also the same which the Department of Education (DepEd) reduced the time allotment. She said that longer period should be provided to these subjects to enhance the students’ knowledge and skills.
           According to the report of the Universal Access to Competitiveness and Trade, there is a low percentage of college graduates who are applying for local as well as multinational Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) companies passed the interviews and screenings. The reason cited for this is the inadequacy of English proficiency and other required skills of the graduates.
                In the academic year 2004-2005, elementary pupils got a failing average of 59 percent in English, while high school students got 51 percent. The passing mark was 75 percent based in the National Achievement Test.
                  The students who failed were obliged to take summer classes for them to be able to advance to the next year. However, PCNHS still implements the regular time of the three subjects with the permission of the DepEd, as long as the time required is met by the teachers.
                   Bugtong emphasized that the more vacant time for students means the more chance of learning nothing.
                   Government claims that the adoption of the K+12 program aligning it with the education system of other countries will raise the competetiveness of the country’s graduates. DepEd said last year that the Philippines is the only remaining country in Asia that implements the ten year basic education.
According to the Alliance of Concerened Teachers (ACT), the students can hardly gain skills when in reality, Philippine schools are faced with the lack of classrooms resulting to overcrowding, shortage of books and other instructional materials.
                       ACT Teachers Partylist in an earlier statement said that due to the failure of the administration of President Benigno Aquino III to provide adequate funding for education, the existing shortages in the basic education system will be aggravated by the unmet requirements of K+12, particularly its Kindergarten component.

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DOH confirms mild EV-71 infection in a one-year old boy

July 20, 2012 press release from the Department of Health

The public is urged to remain vigilant as Secretary of Health Enrique Ona today confirmed Enterovirus-71 (EV-71) infection in one of several suspected hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases reported to the Department of Health (DOH).

Secretary Ona announced the results done on eight suspected HFMD patients reported to the DOH from July 10 to 14. Screening and confirmatory tests were done at the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine on throat, stool or vesicular fluid collected from these cases.

There was one female among the suspected HFMD cases. Age ranged from one year to 29 years. Six came from Region IV-A (CALABARZON) and two were from Davao.

These patients had mild disease and had skin lesions in the hand, feet and, mouth. Five were admitted in the hospital while the rest were sent home. Four of those who were admitted already went home after a brief stay in the wards.

Of the eight suspected HFMD, six tested positive for the screening test. After the confirmatory test, all but one was negative for EV-71. These will be further tested for Coxsackie A16, which is also associated with HFMD.

Sec. Ona confirmed that a one-year and seven-month old boy from Davao City tested positive for the EV-71. The boy developed fever and rashes on his hands, soles of feet mouth, and buttocks last July 6. The boy had no history of travel outside the country. A consultation was sought at a local health facility. He was sent home and has since recovered very well. No other cases were reported in their household nor in the community.

Meanwhile, physicians representing hospitals in Metro Manila and Medical Societies met today at the DOH National Epidemiology Center for an orientation on the Guidelines in the Surveillance and Clinical Case Management of HFMD.

“Prevention relies on individual personal hygiene and hand washing; shared toys or teaching tools in daycare should be cleaned, washed and disinfected as they easily become contaminated, ” Secretary Ona said.

doh.gov.ph

The K to 12 Program

I. The K to 12 Program

The K to 12 Program covers kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (six years of primary education, four years of junior high school, and two years of senior high school [SHS]) to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship.

The adoption of the program is in response to the need to improve the competitiveness of our country’s graduates as the ten-year basic education cycle is seen as inadequate for work and higher education. In fact, overseas Filipino workers are not automatically recognized as professionals[1] in other countries that view the ten-year education program as insufficient. The Philippines is the only country in Asia and is one of only three countries[2] in the world with a ten-year basic education cycle. 
A.   Salient Features
1. Universal Kindergarten Education. Kindergarten has now been integrated into the basic education system to ensure that all grade 1 students are ready for academic learning.[3] Universal kindergarten started in SY 2011–2012 with a budget of P2.3 billion and was made mandatory starting SY 2012–2013 through the signing of Republic Act No. 10157 entitled “An Act Institutionalizing the Kindergarten Education into the Basic Education System and Appropriating Funds Therefor” on January 20, 2012.[4]
In SY 2012–2013, an estimated 2.3 million five-year-old children will enter kindergarten, of which 1.7 million (74 percent) will be served by public schools.[5]
2. Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education. The mother tongue will be the medium of instruction from kindergarten to grade 3. This includes the following: Tagalog, Kapampangan, Pangasinense, Iloko, Bikol, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Tausug, Maguindanaoan, Maranao, and Chabacano. Medium of instruction will be English and Filipino starting grade 4.[6]
3. Core Academic Areas.[7] The core academic areas include Math; Filipino; English; Araling Panlipunan; Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao; and Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health (MAPEH). These are based on the College Readiness Standards of the Commission on Higher Education and are equivalent to the courses offered under the General Education Curriculum of Higher Education Institutions.
Science will be taught in grade 3, but its concepts will be integrated in other subjects like Health (under MAPEH), Math, and Languages in grades 1 and 2. Edukasyong Pangtahanan at Pangkabuhayan will be taught starting in grade 4. Technology and Livelihood Education and technical–vocational specializations, consistent with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority training regulations, will start in grade 7.
4. Specializations. The additional two years (grades 11 and 12) or SHS will allow students to choose among academic, technical–vocational, or sports and arts tracks depending on their interest, the community needs, and the results of their skills assessment. The SHS will allow mastery of core competencies for lifelong learning and preparedness for work, higher education, middle-level skills development, or entrepreneurship.[8]
B.   Implementation and Transition Management
Program implementation will be in phases starting this June for SY 2012–2013. Grade 1 entrants in SY 2012–2013 will be the first batch to fully undergo the program, and incoming first-year high school students (or grade 7) in SY 2012–2013 will be the first to undergo the junior high school curriculum.[9] To prepare teachers for the new curriculum, a nationwide summer training program for about 140,000 grades 1 and 7 public school teachers will be held in May. The Department of Education (DepEd) is also working with various private school associations to cover teachers in private schools.[10] To facilitate the transition from the existing ten-year basic education to 12 years, the DepEd will also implement the SHS Readiness Assessment[11] and K to 12 Modeling.[12]

C.   Social Benefits of the Program[13]
The perceived benefits of the program include: i) placing the Philippine education system at par with international standards, following the Washington Accord and the Bologna Accord; and ii) contributing to the development of a better educated society capable of pursuing productive employment, entrepreneurship, or higher education disciplines.
D.   Ensuring Sustainability of the Program[14]
Enhancing the basic education curriculum and increasing the number of years for basic education was adopted as a Common Legislative Agenda during the February 28, 2011 Legislative–Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting. The administration-supported bills that aim to increase the number of years for basic education are Senate Bill 2713 (Recto), House Bill (HB) 4219 (Belmonte), and HB 4199 (Escudero). These bills are pending at the Committee Level.
E. Curriculum
Click on the following links to access the curriculum guides (PDF files):
Kindergarten
Science: Grades 3 to 1o
Physical Education: Grades 1 to 10
Music and Arts: Grades 1 to 10
Araling Panlipunan: Grades 1 to 7
Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao: Unang  Baitang at Ika-10 Baitang
Health: Grades 1 to 10
Mathematics: Grades 1 to 10

II. Government Interventions to Address Basic Education Input Gaps.[15]

The DepEd budget was increased by 15 percent from P207 billion in 2011 to P238.8 billion in 2012, which is being utilized to address the basic education input gaps, among others.
A.   Classrooms
As of January 27, 2012, the following are the government’s accomplishments on classroom construction:

2010 GAA			2011 GAA
Target	Classroom construction	Percentage	Target	Classroom construction	Percentage
2,472	2,383 (2,218 complete; 165 ongoing)	96.40	8,133	7,089 (4,447 complete; 2,642 ongoing)	87.16

B.   Teachers
As of February 29, 2012, 94.86 percent of the 10,000 CY 2011 new teaching positions[16] approved by the Department of Budget and Management has been filled. To fast-track the construction of classrooms, the Public-Private Partnership for School Infrastructure Project will be implemented from July 2012 to July 2013 with a project cost of P9.8 billion. A total of 9,332 classrooms will be constructed in 2,262 elementary and secondary schools in three pre-identified regions (I, III, and IV-A) with the highest classroom shortages. 
C.   Toilets
Between 2010 and 2011, 978 of the targeted 1,396 toilets have been repaired.
D.   Textbooks
With the CY 2010 and 2011 procurement, the DepEd will be able to achieve a 1:1 student to textbook ratio in SY 2012–2013. By SY 2012–2013, the DepEd will have a zero backlog on textbooks.
E.   Seats
Between 2010 and 2011, 1,301,506 of the targeted 1,461,963 school seats have been procured.

III.  Frequently Asked Questions on the following:

A. K to 12 Concerns
When will the K to 12 program be implemented?

• Universal kindergarten started in SY 2011–2012.
• The new curriculum for grade 1 and grade 7 (high school year 1) will be implemented in SY 2012–2013 and will progress in the succeeding school years.
• Grade 11 (HS year 5) will be introduced in SY 2016–2017 and grade 12 (HS year 6) in SY 2017–2018.
• The first batch of students to go through K to 12 will graduate in March 2018.

Where will the additional two years be added?

• The two years will be added after the four-year high school program. This will be called senior high school.

Why are we implementing 12 years of basic education and not 11 years?

• A 12-year program is found to be the adequate period for learning under basic education and is a requirement for recognition of professionals abroad (i.e., the Bologna and Washington Accords).
• Other countries like Singapore have 11 years of compulsory education, but have 12 to 14 years of preuniversity education depending on the track.

Will this address the dropout problem?

• The decongested curriculum will allow mastery of competencies and enable students to better cope with the lessons. This should partly address those who drop out because they cannot cope with schoolwork.
• The curriculum will be learner-centered, enriched, and responsive to local needs. It will also allow students to choose electives/specializations that suit their interest. This should partly address those who drop out because of lack of personal interest in the curriculum offered.
• DepEd will also continue to offer programs such as home schooling for elementary students and the dropout reduction program for high schools. These programs address the learning needs of marginalized students and learners at risk of dropping out.

Why is the K to 12 program better than the current program?

• K to 12 offers a more balanced approach to learning that will enable children to acquire and master lifelong learning skills (as against a congested curriculum) for the 21^st century.
• The current program crams a 12-year curriculum into ten years, making it difficult for students to master the competencies.
• It will help in freeing parents of the burden of having to spend for college just to make their children employable.
• A student who completes K to 12 will be equipped with skills, competencies, and recognized certificates equivalent to a two-year college degree.

What would be the assurance that K to 12 graduates will be employed?

• DepEd has entered into an agreement with business organizations and local and foreign chambers of commerce and industries that graduates of K to 12 will be considered for employment.
• There will be a matching of competency requirements and standards so that 12-year basic education graduates will have the necessary skills needed by the labor market.

How will K to 12 help in ensuring employment for our graduates?

• The K to 12 basic education curriculum will be sufficient to prepare students for work.
• The curriculum will enable students to acquire Certificates of Competency (COCs) and National Certifications (NCs). This will be in accordance to TESDA training regulations. This will allow graduates to have middle-level skills and will offer them better opportunities to be gainfully employed or become entrepreneurs.
• There will be a school–industry partnership for technical–vocational tracks to allow students to gain work experience while studying and offer the opportunity to be absorbed by the companies.

How will the K to 12 program help working students (college level)?

• DepEd is in collaboration with CHED to provide more opportunities for working students to attend classes.
• DepEd is working with the Department of Labor and Employment to ensure that jobs will be available to K to 12 graduates and that consideration will be given to working students.

How will the K to 12 program help students intending to pursue higher education?

• The K to 12 basic education curriculum will be in accordance with the College Readiness Standards from CHED, which sets the skills and competencies needed of K to 12 graduates who wish to pursue higher education.
• CHED will download its general education subjects to K to 12, ensuring mastery of core competencies for K to 12 graduates. This may lead to a reduction in the number of years of college courses, resulting to a decrease in educational expenses of households.

B. Transition Management and Private Schools
What will happen to colleges and universities during the two-year transition period (SY 2016–2017 and SY 2017–2018)?

• DepEd is in the process of formulating a transition management plan, which involves the active participation of officials of educational institutions and organizations/associations of colleges and universities (public and private) for this two-year gap. The arrangements may include using private school facilities and teachers for senior high school.
• DepEd is working closely with private educational institutions to address these transition management issues.

Will senior high schools be implemented in existing high schools or will new schools be built?

• Existing schools will be used for the additional two-year program. DepEd is likewise in discussions with CHED, TESDA, and private schools to use their existing facilities during the transition period and beyond.

Is K to 12 required for private schools as well? Will the same implementation timeline apply to private schools?

• Since private schools follow the DepEd curriculum, they will also be implementing the 12-year basic education program, but the implementation plan will differ. This will be discussed with the representatives of the private schools.
• Private schools are active participants in developing the K to 12 Program.
• Note that a number of private schools offer at least 12 years of basic education: two years of kindergarten, six or seven years of elementary, and four years of high school.

How will the college and technical–vocational courses be adjusted due to the K to 12 curriculum? Will adjustments be made in time for the first graduates of K to 12?

• TESDA will download some of its basic technical competencies, and CHED will transfer the general education subjects to basic education.
• CHED will be releasing its updated College Readiness Standards, which will be the basis for the competencies in grades 11 and 12 (HS years 5 and 6).
• These activities will be completed before SY 2016–2017.

What is the role of the (a) barangays and (b) NGOs in K to 12?

• They will help in information dissemination about the program; and
• Take part in the K to 12 consultations to provide input on the implementation of the program.

C. Curriculum
What will happen to the curriculum? What subjects will be added and removed?

• There will be a continuum from kinder to grade 12 (HS year 6), and to technical and higher education.
• The current curriculum will be decongested to allow mastery of learning.
• In grades 11 and 12 (HS years 5 and 6), core subjects like Math, Science, and English will be strengthened. Specializations in students’ areas of interest will also be offered.
• Right now, a technical working group has formulated the new curriculum framework, standards, and competencies for K to 12. Experts from CHED, TESDA, and other stakeholders are part of this working group. After this, the changes in terms of subjects added, removed, and enhanced will be clearer.

What specializations will be offered in senior high school?

• The specializations to be offered include academics, middle-level skills development, sports and arts, and entrepreneurship. In general, specializations will either be college preparatory, immediate work/career readiness, or a combination of both.
• Specializations will also be guided by local needs and conditions. For example, schools serving farming or fishing communities will offer agriculture- or fishery-related specializations. Schools located in manufacturing zones will have technical courses relevant to the sector, and so will schools in the vicinity of the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. Science high schools will continue to provide higher degrees of science competencies, as well as the arts.

Will students choose specializations or will this be determined by assessment?

• Students will undergo several assessments to determine their interests and strengths. These will include an aptitude test, a career assessment exam, and an occupational interest inventory for high schools, and should help students decide on their specialization.

For senior high school, what will happen if majority of our students want to specialize in agriculture and only one is interested to take math or academics? How will this be accommodated?

• This is an extreme situation.
• The areas of specialization will be offered according to the resources available in a locality and the needs of students.

What will happen to special schools such as science high schools, high schools for the arts, trade schools, etc.?

• These schools will remain special schools with enriched curriculum for grades 7 to 12 (HS years 1 to 6).

What will happen to multigrade teaching?

• Multigrade teaching will continue using the K to 12 curriculum.

ALS age requirement is only 16 years old for the HS equivalency test. Will this change to 18? Students might want to turn to ALS if they can save two years of formal school education costs.

• The ALS is based on the existing ten-year basic education curriculum. When the new 12-year curriculum will be in place, ALS will likewise be revised.

D. Kindergarten
Is kindergarten a prerequisite for entering grade 1?

• Yes. Republic Act No. 1057, or the Kindergarten Education Act, institutionalizes kindergarten as part of the basic education system and is compulsory for admission to grade 1.

Is there an overlap between the day care program of the LGUs and DepEd kindergarten?

• There is no overlap. Day care centers of the LGUs take care of children aged 4 and below, whereas the DepEd kindergarten program is for five-year-old children.

Should schools now prepare permanent records for kindergarten students?

• Yes. Although the assessment on readiness skills of students in kindergarten is not academically driven, a good measure of the child’s ability to cope with formal schooling is needed for future learning interventions.

Who is in charge of kindergarten teacher compensation? The LGU o DepEd?

• DepEd is the main agency that employs and pays kindergarten teachers.
• There are LGUs that help in the kindergarten program and provide honoraria for kindergarten teachers.

When will the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) be implemented?

• The MTB-MLE program will be implemented nationwide this coming June, in SY 2012–2013.
• Nine hundred twenty-one schools, including those for children of indigenous people, have piloted the MTB-MLE. The implementation of MTB-MLE will benefit from the experience of these 921 schools.
• Twelve mother tongue languages shall be offered as a learning area and utilized as a language of instruction starting SY 2012–2013. These are Tagalog, Kapampangan, Pangasinense, Iloko, Bikol, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Tausug, Maguindanaoan, Maranao, and Chabacano.

Which mother tongue will be used in multicultural areas?

• The lingua franca in the area shall be used as the medium of instruction.
• The principle of MTB-MLE is to use the language that learners are most comfortable and familiar with.

E. Teachers
Will teachers be burdened by additional teaching load due to the K to 12 Program?

• There will be no additional workload due to the K to 12 Program. The Magna Carta for Public School Teachers provides that teachers should only teach up to six hours a day.
• The decongested K to 12 curriculum will allow teachers to master the contents and competencies that they will develop among the students, and will enable them to focus on their areas of expertise.

Will teacher salary increase as a result of the K to 12 Program?

• The K to 12 Program will not result in teacher salary increase because there will be no additional teaching load or additional teaching hours.
• Salary increases for other reasons, such as the Salary Standardization Law, inflation, and promotion, may apply.

How will teachers be prepared for the K to 12 Program?

• Teachers will be given sufficient in-service training to implement this program. The preservice training for aspiring teachers will also be modified to conform to the requirements of the program.
• Training of national trainers for grades 1 to 7 will be on April 23–29, 2012.
• Training of grades 1 and 7 teachers will be conducted at the regional and division levels for the whole month of May 2012.

Who will be the teachers for senior high school? What will be their qualifications?

• Additional special teachers will be hired and existing teachers will be trained to teach core academic subjects and electives that will be offered in grades 11 and 12 (HS years 5 and 6).
• DepEd is exploring the possibility of utilizing existing technical and higher education teachers to teach grades 11 and 12 (HS year 5 and 6), especially during the transition period.
• Teacher education institutions will also adjust its preservice programs to align it with the needs of the education sector.

F. Budget
How close is DepEd in addressing the resource gaps (i.e., classroom, teachers)?

• By this SY, 2012–2013, we will close two of the five resource gaps: seats and textbooks.
• We have targeted to close the other resource gaps in the next few years.
• Aside from increasing the budget of DepEd, we are also enjoying support from local governments, private partners, and donor agencies.

DepEd lacks resources to address its current input shortages. With K to 12 and its added resource needs, how will this be addressed?

• One scheme is to front-load all needed capital investments, take a grant or loan from government and private banks based on annual budget, and pay the amortization yearly.
• We also have the support of local government units and private partners in terms of infrastructure.
  • Private partners can donate through our Adopt-a-School program that provides them a 150 percent tax rebate for their contribution.
  • Individuals and institutions can take part in the TEN Moves! Campaign to build 10,000 classrooms by donating P10 per day for ten months.
  • LGUs can follow the front-loading scheme using their Special Education Fund as collateral and the allocation as amortization.
  • For teacher items, LGUs also help by hiring qualified teachers for our public schools and paying honoraria for them.
• We have enough time to provide the additional classrooms, teachers, and instructional materials since they will be needed beginning in SY 2016–2017.

How about the additional cost to parents?

• Grades 11 and 12 (HS years 5 and 6) will be offered for free in public schools.
• K to 12 graduates will have higher earning potential as they will be more competent and skilled.
• As a result in the K to 12 Program, CHED is exploring the possibility of decreasing the number of years of certain courses in college.
• K to 12 graduates will have national certification from TESDA, which will enable them to have higher employment opportunities.

How much will the K to 12 Program cost the government?

• The House-approved budget for 2012 is P238.8 billion, including P2.4 billion for kinder. For 2016, the introduction of grade 11 (HS year 5) has a preliminary estimated cost of P38 billion, assuming all costs are borne by the government (Medium-Term Spending Plan for Basic Education, 2011).
• DepEd is targeting to involve other stakeholders to generate additional financial resources.

Won’t this be another avenue for corruption? How can you ensure that funds will be released and used properly?

• DepEd fully supports the Aquino administration’s drive against corruption.
• We will regularly package and disseminate information on agency budgets, bidding and procurement documents, and SALNs of senior government officials, to ensure transparency and accountability.
• It is also in our best interest to ensure that funds and resources are not lost to corruption.

G. ARMM Concerns
Will the K to 12 Program be applicable in ARMM? What will happen to the Madrasah curriculum in ARMM?
The K to 12 curriculum will be flexible enough to accommodate local conditions and culture in Mindanao. The Madrasah curriculum is a component of the K to 12 Program.
What is the policy of DepEd to reduce the occurrence of teacher kidnapping in ARMM?

• We will be organizing an Education Summit for ARMM to discuss the various concerns in Mindanao, including teacher kidnapping.
• Our initial discussions with ARMM explore assigning Muslim teachers to ARMM schools.

Given the situation in the conflict areas, is it possible to make the non-eligible natives (Muslim) full-pledged teachers?

• This will be discussed with the Civil Service Commission and the Professional Regulation Commission.

This page was last updated on June 5, 2012. All information came from the Department of Education.

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Notes:

[1]        The Washington Accord prescribes 12 years of basic education as an entry to recognition of engineering professionals. The Bologna Accord requires 12 years of education for university admission and practice of profession in European countries. (Source: Dir. Anna  Cristina M. Ganzon, Office of the Secretary, DepEd, Vetted Brief for the K to 12 Launch, April 20, 2012.)

[2]        From the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization’s 151 member countries, Djibouti and Angola are the other two countries that retain a ten-year pre-university education system. (Source: DepEd, Discussion Paper on the Enhanced K to 12 Basic Education Program, October 5, 2010.)

[3]        DepEd, Executive Summary: K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum, undated.

[4]        Dir. Ganzon, Vetted Brief for the K to 12 Launch, April 20, 2012.

[5]        Ibid.

[6]        Ibid.

[7]        Ibid.

[8]        Ibid.

[9]        Ibid.

[10]      Secretary Armin A. Luistro, DepEd, Opening Remarks for the Formal Launch of the K to 12 Program, April 18, 2012.

[11]      The SHS Readiness Assessment determines the capacity of all educational institutions to adapt to the program and ascertain that it will be adequate for the current industry demand and employment opportunities. (Source: Dir. Ganzon, Vetted Brief for the K to 12 Launch, April 20, 2012.) The SHS Readiness Assessment shall be implemented from June to July 2012. (Source: Mr. Kenneth Tirado, Executive Assistant IV, Head of Communications Unit, DepEd, April 20, 2012.)

[12]      The K to 12 Modeling introduces SHS to selected schools to simulate the program before its nationwide implementation in SY 2016–2017. (Source: Dir. Ganzon, Vetted Brief for the K to 12 Launch, April 20, 2012.) The K to 12 Modeling shall be implemented in June 2012. (Source: Mr. Tirado, April 20, 2012.)

[13]      DepEd, Discussion Paper, October 5, 2010.

[14]      Presidential Legislative Liaison Office, Status of the LEDAC Common Legislative Agenda, as of March 21, 2012.

[15]      Dir. Ganzon, Vetted Brief for the K to 12 Launch, April 20, 2012.

[16]      The deployment and hiring of the CY 2011 teachers was in accordance with the revised flowchart prescribed by DepEd Order No. 9, s. 2011, which streamlined the process of hiring for teachers. (Source: Dir. Ganzon, Vetted Brief for the K to 12 Launch, April 20, 2012.)

http://www.gov.ph/k-12/

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Briefer on the Enhanced K to 12 Basic Education Program

[Please note: The K to 12 program was launched on April 24, 2012, and the content of this briefer is outdated. Please view our new entries and more comprehensive information on the K to 12 Basic Education Program through www.gov.ph/k-12]

Briefer prepared by the Department of Education, November 2, 2010

Salient Points on the Enhanced K to 12 Basic Education Program

What is K to 12?

• K to 12 means Kindergarten and the 12 years of elementary and secondary education.

Kindergarten refers to the 5-year old cohort that takes a standardized kinder curriculum.

Elementary education refers to primary schooling that involves six or seven years of education

Secondary education refers to high school.

How are we planning to implement the K to 12 program?
After considering various proposals and studies, the model that is currently being proposed by DepEd is the K-6-4-2 Model. This model involves Kindergarten, six years of elementary education, four years of junior high school (Grades 7 to 10) and two years of senior high school (Grades 11 to 12). The two years of senior high school intend to provide time for students to consolidate acquired academic skills and competencies.
Features of K 6-4-2
(1) Kindergarten and 12 years of quality basic education is a right of every Filipino, therefore they must be and will be provided by government and will be free.
(2) Those who go through the 12 years cycle will get an elementary diploma (6 years), a junior high school diploma (4 years), and a senior high school diploma (2 years).
(3) A full 12 years of basic education will eventually be required for entry into tertiary level education (entering freshmen by SY 2018-2019 or seven years from now).

• An open and consultative process will be adopted in the development and implementation of K to 12.
• Change is two-fold: (a) curriculum enhancement and (b) transition management.

What is Senior High School?

• 2 years of in-depth specialization for students depending on the occupation/career track they wish to pursue
• Skills and competencies relevant to the job market
• The 2 years of senior HS intend to provide time for students to consolidate acquired academic skills and competencies.
• The curriculum will allow specializations in Science and Technology, Music and Arts, Agriculture and Fisheries, Sports, Business and Entrepreneurship.

What is the proposed implementation plan of DepEd?
Phases of Implementation:
(1) Universal kindergarten will be offered starting SY 2011-2012.
(2) DepEd will begin unclogging the basic education curriculum in SY 2012-2013.
(3) The enhanced 12-year curriculum will be implemented starting with incoming Grade 1 students of SY 2012-2013.
(4) Incoming freshmen of SY 2012-2013 will be the first beneficiary of a free Senior High School education that will be made available by DepEd in public schools beginning SY 2016-2017. Electives to be offered in Senior HS (arts, music, tech-voch..etc)

In implementing the K-6-4-2 proposal, DepEd will take into account the issues and concerns of all stakeholders, including the high school graduates before 2016. This will be done through regional consultations to begin early 2011. The mechanics and other details of the transition plan will be threshed out with HEIs in coordination with CHED, TESDA and other critical stakeholders.

Why add two more years?

• 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.

How much will this cost?

• The immediate cost for the program will not be needed until 2016 when the first year of the two additional years is implemented.
• Meanwhile, we will continue to close the resource gaps in basic education – the President ordered DepEd to its close resource gaps in 2 years.

At this time, we estimate the total funding requirement to procure all needed resources at P150 billion for:

152,569 new classrooms

103,599 more teachers

95.6 million more books

13.2 million seats
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.

Are private schools obliged to follow?

• While we enjoy the support of private school associations, we are yet to discuss with them the implementation of the program.

Where are we at now?

• Insufficient mastery of basic competencies is common due to a congested curriculum. The 12 year curriculum is being delivered in 10 years.
• High school graduates are younger than 18 years old and lack basic competencies and maturity. They cannot legally enter into contracts and are not emotionally mature for entrepreneurship / employment.
• Other countries view the 10-year education cycle as insufficient.

K to 12 Education Vision
Graduates of Enhanced K to 12 Basic Education Program will:

• 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.

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DepEd to conduct mall exhibit tour for K to 12 program awareness

Posted by Reyn Adonay on 7/19/2012 06:03:00 PM

The Department of Education will hold a series of interactive exhibits in different malls in the country to raise awareness about its K to 12 basic education curriculum reform program.


Dubbed as "GO! Education (Greater Opportunities! Education)," the tour will kick off at The Block Atrium Activity Center in SM North EDSA on July 27.


DepEd has partnered with the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), United States Agency International Development (USAID) and the Philippine Business for Education (PBED).


The exhibit will also be held at SM malls in Pampanga, Pangasinan, Iloilo, Cebu and Davao.


"With the interactive exhibit, we hope the public would understand how our GO! Education program could help provide solutions to increase the competency of our public school teachers, improve our basic education curriculum to be at par with global standards and build more classrooms and other learning facilities with the help of both public and private partners,” said Secretary of Education Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC.


The "GO! Education" campaign will have three "ambassadors" to serve as spokesperson of the three components of the programs:

• "Go! Teachers!" - tackles the problems, existing policies and solutions to produce highly competent teachers
• "Go! K to 12!" - offers a look at the new basic education curriculum and what it aims to achieve
• "Go! Classroom!" - talks about addressing the problem of classroom shortages.

summary of epic story Aliguyon

                      In the mountainous regions of Northern Luzon, a hudhud is a long tale sung during special occasions. This particular long tale is sung during harvest. A favorite topic of the hudhud is a folk hero named Aliguyon, a brave warrior.

                   Once upon a time, in a village called Hannanga, a boy was born to the couple named Amtalao and Dumulao. He was called Aliguyon. He was an intelligent, eager young man who wanted to learn many things, and indeed, he learned many useful things, from the stories and teachings of his father. He learned how to fight well and chant a few magic spells. Even as a child, he was a leader, for the other children of his village looked up to him with awe.

                     Upon leaving childhood, Aliguyon betook himself to gather forces to fight against his father's enemy, who was Pangaiwan of the village of Daligdigan. But his challenge was not answered personally by Pangaiwan. Instead, he faced Pangaiwan's fierce son, Pumbakhayon. Pumbakhayon was just as skilled in the arts of war and magic as Aliguyon. The two of them battled each other for three years, and neither of them showed signs of defeat.

                           Their battle was a tedious one, and it has been said that they both used only one spear! Aliguyon had thrown a spear to his opponent at the start of their match, but the fair Pumbakhayon had caught it deftly with one hand. And then Pumbakhayon threw the spear back to Aliguyon, who picked it just as neatly from the air.

                              At length Aliguyon and Pumbakhayon came to respect each other, and then eventually they came to admire each other talents. Their fighting stopped suddenly. Between the two of them they drafted a peace treaty between Hannanga and Daligdigan, which their peoples readily agreed to. It was fine to behold two majestic warriors finally side by side.

Summary story of the epic Ibalon

                     A long time ago, there was a rich land called Ibalong. The hero Baltog, who came from Botavora of the brave clan of Lipod, came to this land when many monsters were still roaming in its very dark forests. He decided to stay and was the first to cultivate its field and to plant them with gabi.
Then one night, a monstrous, wild boar known as Tandayag saw these field and destroyed the crops. Upon knowing this, Baltog decided to look for this boar with all his courage and patiend. At last, as soon as he saw it, he fearlessly wrestled with it, with all his might. Baltog was unafraid. He was strong and brave. Though the Tandayag had very long fangs, he was able to pin down the monstrous, wild boar and break apart its very big jawbones. With this, Tandayag fell and died.
                    After this fight, Baltog went to his house in Tondol, carrying the Tandaya'g broken bones. Then he hung it on a talisay tree in front of his house. Upon learning of the victory of their Chief Baltog, the people prepared a feast and celebrated. The very big jawbones of the dead boar became an attraction for everyone. Thus, came the tribes of Panikwason and Asog to marvel it.
                   The second hero who came to the land of Ibalong was Handyong. Together with his men, he had to fight thousands of battles, and face many dangers to defeat the monster. As warriors, they first fought the one-eyed monster with the tree necks in the land of Ponong. For ten months, they fought without rest. And they never stopped fighting until all these monsters were killed.
                        Handyong and his men made their next attack against the giant flying sharks called Triburon which had hardly flesh and sawlike teeth that could crush rocks. They continued fighting until the defeat of the last Triburon.
                      They tamed the wild carabaos. They even drove away the giant and very fierce Sarimao which had very sharp fingernails. And using their spears and arrows, they killed all the crocodiles which were as big as boats. With all these killings, the rivers and swamps of Ibalong turned red with blood. It was at this time that the savage monkeys became frightened and hid themselves.
                        Among the enemies of Handyong and his men, the serpent Oryol was the hardes to kill. Having a beautiful voice, Oryaol could change its image to deceive its enemies. To capture it, Handyong tried different ways. But Oryol escaped every one of it and disappeared.
So alone and unafraid, Handyong decide to look for Oryol in the heart of the forest. He followed the beautiful voice and was almost enchanted by it in his pursuit. Days and nights passed until Oryol came to admire Handyong's bravery and gallantry. Then the serpent helped the hero to conquer monsters, thus restoring peace to the entire Ibalong.
                           In one the areas of Ibalong called Ligmanan, Handyong built a town. Under his leadership and his laws, slaves and masters were treated equally. The people planted rice and because of their high regard of him they named this rice after him. He built the first boat to ride the waves of Ibalong's seas. Through his good example, his people became inspired and came up with their own inventions. There was Kimantong who made the plow, harrow and other farming tools. Hablom who invented the first loom for weaving abaca clothes, Dinahongm an Agta, who created the stove, cooking pot, earthen jar and other kitchen utensils, and Sural who brilliantly thought of syllabary and started to write on a marble rock. This was a golden period in Ibalong.
                            Then suddenly, there cmae a big flood caused by Unos, with terrifying earthquakes. The volcanoes of Hantik, Kulasi and Isarog erupted. Rivers changed their direction and the seas waves rolled high. Destruction was everywhere. Soon, the earth parted, mountains sank, a lake was formed, and many towns in Ibalong were ruined.
                           Then appeared the giant Rabot, half-man and half-beast, with awesome and terrifying powers.
                             People were asking who will fight against Rabot. So Bantong, the third hero was called. He was a good friend of Handyong. He was ordered to kill the new monster on Ibalong. To do this, he took with him a thousand warriors to attack Rabot's den. But using his wisdom against Rabot, he did not attack the giant right away. He first observed Rabot's ways. Looking around the giant's den, he discovered that there were many rocks surrounding it, and these were the people who were turned into rocks by Rabot.
Bantong also learned that Rabot loved to sleep during the day and stayed awake at night. So, he waited. When Rabot was already sleeping very soundly, Bantong came hear him. He cut the giant into two with his very sharp bolo and without any struggle, Rabot died. So Ibalong was at peace once more.