Notes on K-12 Education Reform in the Philippines

Overview of the Education Act of 1982

• Mandates:
  • 6-7 years of elementary education
  • 4 years of high school
• Aim: To provide knowledge and develop essential skills, attitudes, and values for personal development.

K-12 Program Introduction

• Under Aquino administration, a new program aims to extend education to K-12:
  • Components:
    • Kindergarten
    • 6 years of elementary education
    • 4 years of junior high school
    • 2 years of senior high school
• Purpose: Equip students with academic skills and competencies for meaningful employment.

Legislative Status

• Congress has not yet approved the K-12 program.
• Concerns raised by teachers' groups regarding:
  • Lack of training for teachers
  • Insufficient school facilities
  • Parent support issues due to financial struggles.

Current Challenges in Philippine Education

• Issues faced by students:
  • Shortage of chairs, teachers, and resources.
• Education department's commitment:
  • Despite challenges, the Department of Education (DepEd) is determined to continue with K-12 preparations.

Implementation Steps Taken

• Start Dates:
  • Kindergarten program began in June of the previous year.
  • Curriculum development for Grade 1 and Grade 7 is ongoing.
• Teacher Training:
  • 140,000 teachers being trained this summer.
  • Focus on mother tongue-based multilingual education and enhancing science and math competitiveness.

Financial and Legislative Support

• Currently operating within the department's existing mandate.
• DepEd emphasizes the importance of curriculum change and innovation:
  • Training of teachers, addressing classroom shortages, and developing essential teaching resources.
• Support for K-12 is hopeful, even if enabling law is delayed.

Curriculum Development

• New curriculum aims to:
  • Change teaching methods.
  • Enhance student engagement.
  • Provide a solid foundation for Grade 1 and Grade 7.
• Digitized curriculum and modules will be accessible to teachers, fostering a user-friendly teaching environment.

Parental Involvement and Stakeholder Consultation

• Nationwide consultations included parents and stakeholders.
• General support from parents increased after understanding K-12's features.
• Emphasis on the need for quality education and addressing existing issues first:
  • Quality facilities
  • Well-trained teachers
  • Sufficient resources.

Addressing Classroom and Resource Shortages

• Classroom shortage reported at 66,000.
• Efforts to reduce this with a mix of public-private partnership initiatives.
• Targeted solutions for children needing alternative schooling methods (e.g. street children).

Innovative Approaches in Education

• Introduction of blended learning models and digitized modules for diverse learning needs.
• Recognizing local knowledge: integrating community and indigenous wisdom in the learning process.

Teacher Training and Support

• Comprehensive training program for teachers focused on user-friendly curriculum implementation.
• Continuous improvement mechanism for feedback on curriculum effectiveness.

Conclusion

• The K-12 program aims to innovate and improve the quality of education in the Philippines.
• Despite challenges, the commitment to reform is evident.
• The focus is on providing equitable learning opportunities for all students.