How DepEd Prepares for the K to 12 Program [Infographic]

In 2011, the Department of Education (DepEd) administered a shift to a fresh learning scheme — the K
to 12 basic education program. Many people were resistant to the new education system. Despite this,
the government is keen on revolutionizing the Philippine education.

Here’s an update on how the government prepared in implementing the new education curriculum.

Six Key Characteristics of the K-12 Basic Education Program

Would you like to know why the leaders of our country are pushing for the K to 12 basic education
curriculum? Salient features that will yield fine learners with 21st century skills have triggered this move.

1) Strengthening Early Childhood Education

Research shows that children who go through standards-based kindergarten programs have higher
completion rates than those who do not. Through required pre-school, each child aged 5 years old will
now gain access to early childhood learning.

Students will learn letters, numbers, shapes, and colors through songs, dances, and games using their
mother tongue. This is a bold step toward making Grade 1 students a reader and a way to get them
ready for formal schooling.

2) Making the Curriculum Relevant to Learners

Studies show that students grasp their lessons well if they can relate to them. Thus, the new program
will include examples, activities, songs, poems, stories, and pictures based on culture, history, and
reality. Added as well are thoughts on issues such as disaster prevention, climate change, and
Information and Communication Technology or ICT.

Through relevancy, they expect the students to gain in-depth knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes
through continuity and consistency across every level and subject.

3) Building Skill

Experts have proven that children learn lessons and a second language better and are more active in
class when mentors teach them in their mother tongue. To build skill, learners must keep their ethnic
uniqueness, values, and culture. To do this, the program will use the child’s main language in studying
and on learning tools from kindergarten through third grade.

4) Ensuring Unified and Seamless Learning

In spiral progression, students first learn the basic concepts while they will study the complex ones in
the next grades. This lets them learn topics and lessons that match their developmental and cognitive
skills. As learners revisit and share them over again, they strengthen retention and enhance mastery of
the topics and skills.

5) Gearing Up for the Future

The new program aims to guarantee college preparedness and brace TechVoc education and training.
This lets students choose their career path based on talent, interests, and the school’s capacity. Their
track choice will define the subjects they will study in Grades 11 and 12.

6) Nurturing the Fully Developed Filipino

Beyond kindergarten, elementary, junior high, and senior high schools, each K-12 graduate will be ready
to move to different paths. It could be for education, employment, or enterprise.

Three Practical Benefits of the Philippines’ K to 12 Curriculum

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 insist the government
isn’t yet ready for this new system and that this is more of additional burden to students and their
parents.

Despite calls 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
education system. In fact, it has worked to fulfill the gaps on the number of classrooms, teachers, and
textbooks. 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 more years to high school, below are three of
the many practical benefits of schooling under a 13-year education cycle:

1. Preparedness for tertiary learning – With adaptation of K-12 scheme, students are expected to
graduate at age a bit older than past graduates’. This is an 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 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 academic track. The good thing is SHS graduates will be equipped with skills (through
electives) that will make them good at certain field(s).

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 a field and
enhance their skills. In the end, K-12 graduates will become globally competitive and are set to obtain
spot in the stiff labor market.

The government 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.
An Overview of the New K to 12 Curriculum in the Philippines

What Is K to 12?

The K to 12 curriculum covers Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education. The program aims 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.

Old and New Curriculum: What’s the Difference?

K to 12 Program Guide

Kindergarten

Students will learn numbers, alphabet, colors, and shapes. Learning will take place through dances,
games, and songs and the medium of instruction is in the child’s mother tongue.

Grades 1 to 10

Students in Grades 1 to 10 will experience an enhanced, context-based, and spiral progression-learning

curriculum with the following subjects:

• Mother Tongue

• Filipino

• English

• Mathematics

• Science

• Araling Panlipunan

• Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (EsP)

• Music

• Arts

• Physical Education

• Health

• Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan (EPP)

• Technology and Livehood Education (TLE)

Grades 11-12 (Senior High)

Core curriculum will be taught, along with a Specific Track chosen by the student.
A. Core Curriculum

There are seven learning areas under the Core Curriculum:

• Languages

• Communication

• Literature

• Math

• Natural Sciences

• Philosophy

• Social

Subjects include:

• Oral communication

• Reading and writing

• Komunikasyon at Pananaliksik sa Wika at Kulturang Filipino

• 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World

• Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions

• Media and Information Literacy

• General Mathematics

• Statistics and Probability

• Earth and Life Science

• Physical Science

• Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person/Pambungad sa Pilosopiya ng Tao

• Physical Education and Health

• Personal Development/Pansariling Kaunlaran

• Earth Science (instead of Earth and life science for those in the STEM strand)

• Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction (taken instead of Physical science for those in the STEM
strand)

B. Specific Tracks

• Academic Track

• Business, Accountancy, Management (BAM)

• Humanities, Education, Social Sciences (HESS)

• Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM)

• Technical-Vocational-Livelihood

• Sports and Arts

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• Strengthening Early Childhood Education (Universal Kindergarten)

• Making the Curriculum Relevant to Learners (Contextualization and Enhancement)

• Ensuring Integrated and Seamless Learning (Spiral Progression)

• Building Proficiency through Language (Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education)

• Gearing Up for the Future (Senior High School)

• Nurturing the Holistically Developed Filipino (College and Livelihood Readiness, let Century
Skills)

How Parents Can Claim DepEd’s K-12 Voucher Program

One concern raised on the new education system is that the added two years mean extra expense to
parents. Critics of the K-12 program have little knowledge of the government’s subsidy for the extra two
years in basic education.

The “Voucher Program” will help students and parents affected by the recent shift to the new
curriculum or students who will continue beyond Grade 10.

Learn More

For those studying or sending someone to school under the K-12 program but lack enough funds, you
will find the most relevant details on government financial aid.

What is the Voucher Program?

The voucher program is a government subsidy offered to junior high school or JHS completers to allow
them to pursue senior high school or SHS (Grades 11 and 12). One voucher is good to cover the costs of
one entire school year.

In SHS, students can choose the most relevant track for their career goals or needs and even the school.
In fact, students may pursue SHS at any qualified private high school, local or state college or university,
private college or university, and technical-vocational school.

The program will begin in school year 2016-2017 when the first batch of students will reach Grade 11.

What is the worth of the voucher?

The value of the voucher varies depending on the SHS’ location where the student will enroll.
• PHP22,500 – 16 cities and one municipality in the National Capital Region (NCR)

• PHP20,000 – Urbanized cities outside NCR

• PHP17,500 – Other cities and towns in the Philippines

Note: The above sums are for students that come from a public high school and will enroll in a private
school (DepEd approved). Non-DepEd schools may charge tuition fee that is higher than the voucher
subsidy rate.

• Students coming from private high schools will get a specific percentage (80 percent).

• Students who intend to enroll in a public college or university will get half of the full subsidy.

How can students/parents claim the voucher?

The government will not give the subsidy to Grade 10 completers themselves but will instead remit it
straight to the senior high school where students will enroll.

Should JHS students apply for the voucher?

JHS completers from public junior high schools are qualified to receive the funding aid. Meanwhile, JHS
completers from private schools must apply for 80 percent of the voucher’s full value only.