Kassandra Kay K.

De Roxas Pre-School Curriculum

CTP ECED 112

Activity No. 3 – RA 10157

Instructions: Read RA 10157. Summarize the salient points and give your reaction about it.
You can relate it to theories, your childhood experiences or other types of curriculum studied.

Republic Act No. 10157

Kindergarten Education Act
“An Act Institutionalizing the Kindergarten Education into the Basic Education System and
Providing Funds Therefor”

Summary:

RA 10157 also known as Kindergarten Act was approved by Pres. Benigno Aquino III last
Janauary 20, 2012 and which took effect on March 14, 2012.

In the Philippines, kindergarten education is already an integral part of basic education through
the passage of R.A.10157 known as 10157 “Kindergarten Education Act” approved January
20, 2012 with Implementing Rules and Regulations (DepED Order No. 32, s. 2012).

The following are the important points:

Sec. 2: All children can avail of mandatory, compulsory kindergarten education that effectively
promotes physical, social, intellectual, emotional and skill stimulation and values formation to
sufficiently prepare them for formal elementary schooling.

Sec. 3: Kindergarten education means one (1) year preparatory education for children at least
5 years old as prerequisite for Grade 1.

Sec. 4: It was partially implemented for school year 2011-2012. Thereafter, it was
implemented to be fully mandatory and compulsory for entrance to Grade 1.

Sec 5: Kindergarten educational program shall adopt the MTB-MLE (Mother tongue-based
multilingual education)

Exceptional Cases:
 When the pupils in the kindergarten classroom have different mother tongues or
when some of them speak another mother tongue
 When the teacher does not speak the mother tongue of the learners
 When resources, in line with the use of the mother tongue, are not yet available
 When teachers are not yet trained how to use the MTB-MLE program

In such cases, the DepEd shall choose the medium of instruction aligned with the framework
being used in the elementary level including teacher training and production of local resources
and materials under DepEd Order No. 74, series of 2009.
Together with Commission on Filipino Language and other educational institutions concerned,
DepEd shall formulate a mother tongue based- framework for teaching and learning. Provided
that they will include teaching strategies as defined in Section 7(c) which aims to introduce and
strengthen the child’s understanding of English, the official language.

Sec 6: Implementing Agency: DepEd shall create a new Division under BEE. They shall increase
the number of kindergarten teacher positions with the required salaries and benefits, enhancing
teacher training in early education, and providing the necessary allocations for classrooms and
chairs, facilities and equipment, and textbooks.

Sec 7: DepEd through the BEE shall be held responsible for the kindergarten education
program, develop the curriculum for kindergarten education, develop the teaching strategies
using MTB-MLE, it should have the two-track method (storytelling and reading, listening story,
oral communication activities); Interactive strategies; Use of manipulative games; and
Experiential, small group discussions and total physical response (TPR) among others. The
learning development materials shall consist of listening story, small books, big books,
experience story, primer lessons; and lessons exemplars at the minimum.

DepEd shall conceive, develop, and extend a continuing professional development program for
teachers to ensure constant updating of their knowledge for pedagogical purposes. They will
prescribe the necessary qualifications for the hiring and accreditation of teachers who will
handle the kindergarten education program, exercise authority over the operation of private
kindergarten institutions, supervise the establishment of various venues for early childhood
education which may be institution-based, home-based, hospital-based or community-based,
and which shall be duly accredited by the DepEd and introduce innovative programs in
kindergarten that shall include educational technologies, whenever applicable.

Sec 8: Kindergarten Curriculum - The act provides that the curriculum is designed to cater to
the needs of the learners with special needs or children who are gifted, those with disabilities,
and other diverse learners by adopting services in addition to the standards provided, such as
Headstart Program for the Gifted, Early Intervention Program for Children with Disabilities, Early
Intervention Program for Children with Disabilities, Kindergarten Madrasah Program (KMP),
Indigenous People (IP) Education, and Catch-Up Program for Children under Especially Difficult
Circumstances.

The Headstart Program for the Gifted is a comprehensive program for the gifted and talented
pupils in public elementary schools designed to address the educational, aesthetic, and social
needs of children who manifest superior intelligence beyond their age.

The Early Intervention Program for Children with Disabilities is designed for children who are
identified with special educational needs. The program provides services that will arrest further
handicapping conditions of children with disabilities. This intervention could either be home-,
school-, or community-based.

For Muslim pupils enrolled in public schools, the Kindergarten Madrasah Program (KMP)
requires providing the children with Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE)
classes, as well as those in private madaris using the Standard Madrasah Curriculum prescribed
by the Department of Education.

The Indigenous Peoples Education, on the other hand, ensures the preservation, recognition,
promotion and protection of the rights of indigenous people, their ancestral domain, cultural
identity and heritage. It incorporates special needs, histories, identities, languages, indigenous
knowledge, systems and practices, and other aspects of their culture, as well as their social,
economic, and cultural priorities and aspirations.

The Catch-up Program for Children under Especially Difficult Circumstances is for children six
years old and above under especially difficult circumstances, such as, but not limited to, chronic
illness, displaced children due to armed conflict, urban resettlement, disasters and child labor
practice, who are not able to finish the General Kindergarten Program.

Sec 10: Hiring and Deployment in addition to the guidelines for hiring, a kindergarten teacher
shall have at least 18 units of Early childhood Education (ECE) or its equivalent units

Sec 11: Professional Development the DepEd shall continue to develop a set of standards for
Kindergarten teachers.

Sec 12: The Deped shall have the authority to regulate the organization, operation and/or
implementation of the kindergarten education program or both public and private schools.

Reaction:

Indeed that “Kindergarten education is vital to the academic and technical development of the
Filipino child for it is the period when the young mind’s absorptive capacity for learning is at its
sharpest,” according to the law. The government should not stop in studying, doing research on
how to improve the education system in the country. Our education system will definitely help
us be at par with other countries of the world.

As I have read the Kindergarten Act, it addresses the different issues in the education system.
The act implies improved, better connected educations for preschool and elementary children.
As stated in Section 1 - Kindergarten education means one (1) year preparatory education for
children at least 5 years old as prerequisite for Grade 1, the act identified the age appropriate
for Kindergarten level. Unlike before during our times, there was no required age in entering
preschool. As long as the child could adapt to the school environment, he or she could enrol for
Kindergarten. Some of my classmates in Day Care were able to enrol to Grade 1 right after,
even without having formal education in Kindergarten. Misconception about this will be
lessened.

As stated in Section 8 – Kindergarten Curriculum, the curriculum will ensure that the unique
needs of diverse learners will be addressed; the Kindergarten Education General Curriculum will
cater to the needs of pupils with special needs and disabilities and create a catch-up program
for children under difficult circumstances. The Kindergarten curriculum is individually
appropriate as it addresses the needs of pupils with special needs and also socially and
culturally appropriate because the curriculum understands the children and families in the
context of the community. At the same time, discrimination would be addressed on this.
The law also mandates DepEd to “regulate the organization, operation and/or implementation
of the kindergarten education program of both public and private schools.” It requires the use
of the student’s mother tongue or first language (depending on location) as the official medium
of instruction. For instance, kindergarten classes in Cebu will be taught in Cebuano while those
in Bicol will be taught in Bicolano. In case students in one class have different mother tongues
or the teacher does not speak her student’s first language, DepEd will determine the
appropriate medium of instruction to be used. The law also lays down teaching methods for
kindergarten, including story-telling, manipulative games and small group discussions.

With the continuous improvement of the education system, the challenge of developing
empowered and lifelong learners could be addresses at an early stage of the child’s
development.

“We cannot afford to postpone investing in children until they become

adults nor we can wait until they reach school – a time when it may be
too late to intervene.”
– Hechman, J.

Reference:

Republic Act of 10157, Kindergarten Act