Economic Issue
of the Day
Vo l . X I I N o . 2 ( D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 2 )
Enhanced K to 12 Basic Education Program:
opportunities and challenges
E ducation equips an individual with the necessary knowledge
and skills he/she needs to become a functional member of a
society. According to the World Bank, education can also be
one of the strongest instruments for reducing poverty, thereupon
improving the well-being of the people. However, to establish and
maintain a high-quality education system, proper investments must
be made.
In the Philippine context, education remains a top priority.
Despite the various development plans and projects formulated
by the government and different sectors, the quality of Philippine
education still leaves much room for improvement.
As part of the efforts of the present administration to respond
to the perceived needs of the education sector, the Department
of Education (DepEd) had pushed for the implementation of the
Enhanced K to 12 Basic Education Program.
What is K to 12?
K to 12 stands for kindergarten plus 12 years of elementary
and secondary education. This educational system for basic and
secondary education is widely adopted around the world.
DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro presented the Basic Education
Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA) last March in the annual membership
meeting of the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd). BESRA,
as a package of reform initiatives, considers K to 12 as the flagship
reform strategy. The objective of the program is to be able to produce
more productive and responsible citizens equipped with the essential
competencies and skills for both life-long learning and employment.
From among various proposals and studies conducted to come
up with an enhanced model that is suitable to the Philippine context,
DepEd proposed the K-6-4-2 model or the K to 12 model. This model
involves kindergarten, six years of elementary education, four years
of junior high school (Grades 7-10), and two years of senior high
school (Grades 11-12). The two years of senior high school 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.
The change is two-fold. It will give focus not only to the
curriculum enhancement but also to the transition management
as well. The intention of K to 12 is not merely to add two years of
schooling but more importantly, to enhance the basic education
curriculum.
Philippine Institute
for Development Studies
Surian sa mga Pag-aaral
Pangkaunlaran ng Pilipinas
Opportunities: Why is there a need for K to 12?
In a discussion paper on the Enhanced K to 12 Basic Education
Program prepared by the DepEd in the last quarter of 2010, it was
pointed out that K to 12 is an effective cure to the deteriorating quality
of the Philippine education system. The low achievement score of
Filipino students in the National Achievement Test (NAT) is one of
the indicators of a defective education system.
The DepEd also noted that the present ten-year curriculum is
congested wherein students are forced to absorb all the knowledge
and skills necessary in a short and limited span of time. As a result,
high school graduates are often unprepared for employment,
entrepreneurship, or even higher education. They do not yet possess
the basic competencies or even emotional maturity essential for the
world outside the school. High school graduates who do not pursue
higher education are thus unproductive or vulnerable to exploitative
labor practices. In the same context, those who may be interested
to put up their own business cannot enter into legal contracts yet.
This partly explains why the number of unemployed Filipinos is
increasing at an alarming rate.
The short duration of the basic education system is also a
disadvantage for the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), especially the
professionals, and those who intend to study abroad. DepEd further
claims that the Filipino graduates are not automatically recognized
as professionals abroad because the ten-year curriculum is usually
perceived as insufficient.
The DepEd therefore strongly believes that the K to12 program
will give every learner the opportunity to receive quality education
based on an enhanced and decongested curriculum that is
internationally recognized and competitive.
The implementation plan
As a flagship education program of the Aquino administration, K to
12 has been proposed to be implemented by phases. Stakeholder
consultations, policy discourses, and education summits were
conducted to solicit inputs and feedback on the proposed model.
Figure 1 shows a summary of the implementation plan of the K to
12 program. Universal kindergarten has already become mandatory
beginning school year (SY) 2011-2012. The new curriculum for
Grade 1 and first-year Junior High School (Grade 7 JHS) students
were already implemented this SY 2012-2013. This scheme gives
the administration ample time to prepare and provide the necessary
infrastructures, materials, and trainings for the Senior High School
 Economic Issue of the Day K TO 12
Vo l . X I I N o . 2 ( J u l y 2 0 1 2 )

Figure 1. K to 12 Proposed Implementation Plan yet fully tested. Finally, the study also raised concerns
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 about the many reforms the DepEd is trying to implement
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 all at the same time, including the implementation of the
Grade 12 c e K to 12 program, which might result in similar reform
Grade 11 b failures in the past. It also expressed concern on the fact
Grade 10 that DepEd might lose administrative concentration by
Grade 9
spreading itself too thinly.
Grade 8
Grade 7 a
Conclusion
Grade 6
Grade 5
Critics presented valid concerns regarding the K to 12
Grade 4 program. The government must therefore continue to
Grade 3 address such concerns to further develop the model.
Grade 2 Though the program is ready to take off this year,
Grade 1 d continuous monitoring, evaluation, and program
Kinder enhancement must be ensured.
a = Implementation of Grade 7 K to 12 curriculum; b = Year 5 implementation; c = First senior HS graduates; And foremost, it must be made clear that a
d = Implementation of Grade 1 K to 12 curriculum; e = First batch of K to 12 graduates
Source: Luistro (2012) longer education cycle alone could be useless without
corresponding improvements in other aspects of the
(SHS) education which is to be launched by SY 2016-2017. By SY education system. Proper training of teachers, additional classrooms
2018-2019, all students would have already finished 12 years of basic and textbooks, better facilities such as libraries and computer rooms
education and would therefore be ready to enter college. must therefore be deemed as urgent as the implementation of this
program.
Challenges: issues and concerns
The K to 12 program stirred mixed reactions from different sectors. References
While supporters strongly believed that this is the key to quality Albert, J. R. G., A. M. Navarro, A. C. Orbeta, Jr., V. B. Paqueo, J. T. Yap and Associates.
2012. Economic Policy Monitor 2011: education for development. Makati City:
basic education, critics argued that it is merely a superficial solution Philippine Institute for Development Studies.
and does not truly address the more fundamental problems of the Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM). 1991. Making education work:
educational system. an agenda for reform. EDCOM, House of Representatives.
Cruz, I. 2010. Pros and cons in the K+12 basic education debate [online]. http://
Critics also questioned the relationship of the education cycle mlephil.wordpress.com/2010/10/14/pros-cons-of-the-k12-debate/ [Accessed
length and education quality. They cited studies by the Trends in March 2012.]
Department of Education. 2010. Enhanced K+12 Basic Education Program
International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) which revealed [online]. http://www.deped.gov.ph/cpanel/uploads/issuanceImg/K12new.
that longer education cycles do not necessarily result in better pdf [Accessed March 2012].
performance of students. Giron, P. R. 2011. K12 Basic Education Program [PowerPoint slides]. http://www.
slideshare.net/19710802/k-12-basic-education-program.
But one of the major concerns of the critics is the additional Luistro, A. 2012. The state of basic education: gaining ground [PowerPoint
expense to be incurred by the parents. The longer education cycle slides]. http://www.slideshare.net/arangkadaph/state-of-education-in-the-
would be an added burden to households and would later on translate philippines-2012.
Magkilat, B. C. 2010. PCCI opens policy discourse on K12 education system
to higher dropout rates. While the government can provide free public [online]. http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/281878/pcci-opens-policy-
education, the allowances, transportation, school supplies, and discourse-k12-education-system [Accessed March 2012.]
Maramag, S. 2010. Is the K-12 model good for the Philippine education system?
other schooling expenses are still to be shouldered by the parents. [online]. Philippine Online Chronicles. http://thepoc.net/thepoc-features/
Meanwhile, some are worried about the rush to implement politi-ko/politiko-opinions/10020-k-12-philippine-education-system.html
the K to 12 program. For one, according to a study conducted by a [Accessed March 2012.]
Quijano, Y. S. 2011. The K to 12 Basic Education Program: Status Report and
group of researchers from the Philippine Institute for Development Updates [PowerPoint slides]. http://www2.pids.gov.ph/seminars/wp-content/
Studies (PIDS), the rush implementation of the program may have uploads/2011/10/K-12.pdf
unintended effects on social equity if publicly funded. This is because United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 2004.
Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2005: the quality imperative.
many poor families do not reach beyond the secondary level of Paris: UNESCO.
educational attainment. In addition, the revised curriculum is not Yap, R. D. 2011. K to 12: the key to quality education? Policy Brief No. PB-11-02.
Senate Economic Planning Office, Senate of the Philippines.

The Economic Issue of the Day is one of a series of PIDS efforts to help in enlightening the public and other interested parties on the concepts
behind certain economic issues. This dissemination outlet aims to define and explain, in simple and easy-to-understand terms, basic concepts as they
relate to current and everyday economics-related matters.
This Issue was written by Kristine Carla O. Oteyza, Senior Research Specialist at the Institute, with comments and suggestions from Dr. Aniceto
C. Orbeta, Jr., Senior Research Fellow also of the Institute.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of PIDS and other related agencies and sponsors.

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