A change in the Philippines’ educational system was implemented starting in 2011. The K-12 curriculum was signed into law back in 2013, adding two years to the country’s basic education curriculum. What are the k-12 benefits?
What is k-12 curriculum? The 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: What is K-12 curriculum?
The K to 12 curriculum gives students time to master basic academic skills.
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.
The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization – Innotech (SEAMEO-Innotech) 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.
Benefits of the K to 12 curriculum
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K-12 benefits: Preparedness in tertiary level
Dedication of the k to 12 curriculum guide means that students will graduate a bit older compared to those who graduated under the 10-year education cycle.
This is an advantage, according to DepEd, as graduates will be considered young adults. Hence, they will be more equipped to deal with a much higher level of learning as they enter college education.
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K-12 benefits: Readiness to join the workforce
One of the benefits of K-12 curriculum is designed to enable graduates to join the workhorse right after high school, and suitably prefer those who want to go on to higher education.
Unlike the old system, K-12 does not compel each student to take college after completing Senior High School (SHS).
In fact, this scheme empowers students to make a choice on their own. They may not pursue college education especially if they have chosen a track other than the academic track.
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K-12 benefits: Skill competency in the global job market.
The new curriculum will also support college graduates seeking work abroad. Developed countries, according to the Department of Education (DepEd) briefer, “view the 10-year education cycle as insufficient”.
The K-12 system aims to improve Filipino students’ mathematical, scientific, and linguistic competence. Each track will give students enough time to master a field and enhance their skills. In the end, K-12 graduates will become globally competitive and are set to obtain a spot in the stiff labor market.
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K-12 benefits: Opportunities in entrepreneurship and employment
Graduates of the new system can instantly get a job after they receive their certificates and pass competency-based assessments. They can also set up their own business or continue their education in college.
All the options will help every student to step up in improving their competence, skills, and professional characteristics.
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K-12 benefits: Master basic skills
Basic skills such as reading and writing are the main benefits of K to 12 education. Acquiring basic math skills is another benefit of a good education—math skills can help individuals balance their budget, look for the best prices in the market, figure out the best-paying jobs, or how to file taxes properly.
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K-12 benefits: Acquire general knowledge
The knowledge of history, geography, science, or literature can be exhilarating, and it can greatly enrich one’s life. Learning general knowledge is one of the perks that you can get from education.
Someone who does not acquire a desire for learning will miss out on discovering the richness of other lifestyles and cultures.
What the K-12 curriculum 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 to 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.
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 Education’s (CHED) guidelines.
The government also encourages parents to think of the K to 12 curriculum guide not as having two extra years of high school, but as two years less of higher education.
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Areas of specialization
Graduates of the new educational system will already be equipped to join the workforce right away. This is through the help of the electives to be offered during grades 11 to 12.
The electives, or areas of specialization, will include the following:
- Academics for those who wish to pursue higher studies
- Technical-vocational for those who want to acquire employable skills after high school
- Sports and Arts for those who are inclined in the two fields.
Below is an outline of the K to 12 basic curriculum
photo: deped.gov.ph
Change is never easy. Especially when it is a big undertaking such as the implementation of the new K-12 curriculum guide in the Philippines. It is high time, however, that improve the quality of our basic education and our students.
Impact on College Curriculum
K-12 benefits. | Image from Shutterstock
The General Education Curriculum courses have been reduced from 64 to 36 units, composed of the following:
Understanding the Self / Pag-Unawa sa Sarili
- Readings in Philippine History / Mga Babasahin Hinggil sa Kasaysayan ng Pilipinas
- The Contemporary World / Ang Kasalukuyang Daigdig
- Mathematics in the Modern World / Matematika sa Makabagong Daigdig
- Purposive Communication / Malayuning Komunikasyon
- Art Appreciation / Pagpapahalaga sa Sining
- Science, Technology and Society / Agham, Teknolohiya at Lipunan
- Ethics / Etika
- In addition to nine elective units and the three-unit course on the Life and Works of Rizal.
Impact on Higher Education Sector
The new K to 12 curriculum in basic education will inevitably impact higher education in the Philippines on two important fronts: the curriculum, and the people working in the higher education sector.
First, K to 12 makes it necessary to adjust the college curriculum, to make sure that college subjects build upon it in the best way.
Second, K to 12 impacts those working in the higher education sector: as senior high school is rolled out nationwide this 2016, students go through two more years of high school instead of going straight to college, resulting in low enrollment in colleges and universities nationwide.
And lastly, the enhanced K to 12 curriculum is designed to provide a holistic education for all. Now decongested, it gives students ample time to master basic academic skills as well as to participate in co-curricular and community activities.
K-12 benefits. | Image from Shutterstock
K-12 Voucher program
The voucher program, students and their families are able to exercise greater choice in deciding the Senior High School program that is most relevant to their needs and career goals. Importantly, a certain amount will be subsidized by DepEd to private SHS to offset the cost of tuition. It is one of the benefits of the k-12 program of the government.
In addition, the program enables Grade 10 completers from public and private Junior High Schools (JHS) to enroll in a (1) private high school, (2) private university or college, (3) state or local university or college, or (4) technical-vocational school, which will offer the Senior High School program.
Who will benefit from the voucher program?
- Also, JHS completers from public junior high schools are qualified to receive the full voucher values.
- Private junior high school completers who are on Education Service Contracting (ESC) grants will receive 80% of the full voucher value.
- In addition, JHS completers from private schools and non-DepEd schools can also apply for vouchers worth 80% of the full voucher value.
- And lastly, students will be notified of their eligibility prior to completing Grade 10. However, no monetary value is given to the student directly instead the subsidy is remitted to the Senior High School where he/she will enroll.
The actual amount of the vouchers will depend on the location of the SHS where the student will enroll.
- First, JHS completers who will enroll in an SHS located in the National Capital Region (NCR) will receive a full voucher value of PHP 22,500.
- Secondly, JHS completers who will enroll in a SHS located in Non-NCR Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs) will receive a full voucher value of PhP 20,000. These cities include Angeles, Bacolod, Baguio, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu City, Davao City, General Santos, Iligan, Iloilo City, Lapu-lapu, Lucena, Mandaue, Olongapo, Puerto Princesa, Tacloban, and Zamboanga City.
- And last, JHS completers who will enroll in an SHS located in other cities and municipalities will have a full voucher value of PHP 17,500.
K+10+2: A new curriculum to be implemented
On Thursday, August 10, 2023, the Department of Education (DepEd) officially unveiled its “Matatag” (Firm) curriculum.
The new curriculum is intended to address the Philippine learning issue. According to DepEd, the new curriculum “decongests” core topics so that students can concentrate on their reading and numeracy abilities.
The DepEd will roll out the new curriculum in stages, starting with kindergarten, grades one through four, and seven in the 2024–2025 academic year. Additionally, Grades 2, 5, and 8 will come after this in 2025, followed by grades 3, 6, and 9 in 2026, and grade 10 by 2027. Furthermore, the DepEd anticipates having fully implemented the new curriculum by 2028.
What is the difference of K-12 and K+10+2?
To receive a diploma under the K–12 system, students must complete kindergarten and 12 years of school. In contrast, in the K+10+2 system, only students pursuing professional degrees are required to complete the final two years of education. The extra two years are referred to as post-secondary or pre-university education.
Reasons for revising
The past few years have revealed the dangerously subpar performance of Filipino students. In national and international evaluations, according to Vice President and Secretary of Education Sara Duterte. Hence, the need to change the curriculum.
Additional information written by Jobelle Macayan