Reaction Paper about K to 12

The K12 Education program by theDepartment of Education,said to refurbishthe basic and secondary ed
ucation curriculum by adding two more years to the system,is arguably one of the most drastic and cont
roversial programs of the Aquinoadministration.The intention is good but the proposed solution is quest
ionable. Will it yield thedesired outcome or just result to a greater problem?
The Department of Education claims that K12 will solve the annual growing number of out of
school youth. This sounds good but does t really address the problem concerning the country’s out-of
school youth. My question is how? When in fact, students and parent’s complainthat it would be an add
ed burden to them particularly to poor families. It is human natureto prioritize physiologic needs before
anything else. This in return might just result to ahigher dropout rate.There should be a proper care for t
his marginalized, deprived and delinquentsfraction of the population and K12 is just not it.They also said
that K12 will address low achievement scores and poor academic performance of elementary and high s
chool students and those enoughresources to implement this is available.DepEd should focus more on q
uality before quantity. What the poor performingstudents direly needs is for the development and estab
lishment of a quality educationsystem that caters to their needs. Making Philippine education longer do
es notguarantee quality education.Budget deficit is still one of the foremost problems of our country but
if they claimthat resources are at hand, then why not allocate this to a more prominent and directprobl
em of our education. Among the main issues that relates to this are the number of schools and classroo
ms, the number of teachers, and even the availability of books andother school supplies.The predicamen
t of the Philippine education system rooted not on the number of years spent in the academic institutio
ns but rather on the conditions and foundation on which it keeps going.

The implementation of k-12 curriculum in the country drew negative reactions from various societal
groups. Since 2011, critics have been very vocal on their primary concerns. They insists the government
isn’t yet ready for this new system and that this is more of additional burden to students and their
parents.

Despite call to suspend the program, the government remained firm saying this new educational system
offers opportunities for Filipino students and the national economy.

For its part, the department of education (DepEd) stresses that the country is prepared for a big shift in
educational system. In fact, it has worked to fulfill the gaps on the number of classrooms, teachers, and
textbook. Also, it has finished the planning phases along with stakeholders.
But what does K-12 scheme really has to offer to students?

To prove that k-12 system is more than just adding two years to high school, below are three of the
many practical benefits of schooling under a 13-year educational cycle:

1. Preparedness for tertiary learning- with adaptation of K-12 scheme, students are expected to
graduate at age a bit older than past graduate’s. this is advantage , according to DEPEd, as
Graduates will be considered young adults. Hence, they will be more equipped to deal with
much higher level of learning as they enter college education.
2. Readiness to join the workforce- unlike the old system, k-12 does not compel each student to
take college after completing Senor High School (SHS). In fact, this scheme empower students to
make choice on their own. They may not pursue college education especially if they have chosen
a track other than academic track. The good thing is SHS graduates will be equipped with skills
(through electives) that will make them good at certain fields.
3. Skill competency in the global job market- K-12 system aims to improve Filipino students,
mathematical, scientific, and linguistic competence. With the new curriculum, Deped promised
to offer higher quality education through tracks. Each track will give students enough time to
master field and enhance their skill. In the end, K-12 graduates will become globally competitive
and are set to obtain spot in the stiff labor market.

The curriculum believes that K to 12 curriculum in the Philippines will put Filipino students at par
with the rest of the world. Truly, investing in education is the key toward reaching national
growth and development.