Benefits of the K-12

curriculum for Filipino

students
A recent change in the Philippines’ educational system was
implemented starting in 2011. President Aquino signed the
K-12 education into law in 2013, adding three years to the
country’s basic education curriculum.

The new K-12 curriculum guide requires all Filipino students

to have one year of kindergarten, six years of elementary
schooling (grades 1 to 6), four years of junior high school
(grades 7 to 10), and two years of senior high school
(grades 11 to 12).

The rationale
Prior to the implementation of the K-12 curriculum guide, the
Philippines was one of only three countries in the world and
the only one in Asia that still had only 10 years in basic
education.

This has always been seen as a disadvantage for our

students who are competing in an increasingly global job
market. The longer educational cycle of the K-12 curriculum
is seen as critical in giving Filipino students a higher quality
of education.

The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization –

Innotech (SEAMEO-Innotech) found the previous 10-year
educational cycle to be congested, with a 12-year
curriculum squished into 10 years.

As a result, Filipino students have trailed behind students

around the world in the areas of math, languages and
science. The new curriculum is aimed to fix that.

The K-12 curriculum is designed to enable graduates to join

the work force right after high school, and suitably prepare
those who want to go on to higher education.

The new curriculum will also support college graduates

seeking work abroad. Developed countries, according to
the Department of Education’s (DepEd) briefer, “view the
10-year education cycle as insufficient.”

All in all, the enhanced K-12 curriculum is designed to

provide a holistic education for all. Now decongested, it will
give students ample time to master basic academic skills as
well as to participate in co-curricular and community
activities.

What it means for students

The transition began in 2011, when the universal
kindergarten was introduced. Starting in 2012, schools
already implemented the curriculum decongestion
mentioned in the DepEd briefer.

Public schools began having half-day classes for grade one

students, with the mother tongue as the medium of
instruction. Private schools also made adjustments in their
own DepEd accredited curricula.
The adaptation of the K-12 curriculum guide means that
students will graduate a bit older compared to those who
graduated under the 10-year education cycle.

Far from being disadvantageous, however, DepEd states

that young adults graduating at age 18 or so will be more
prepared to take on their tertiary education.

Remedial classes during the first year of college will no

longer be needed, as the high school curriculum will already
be aligned with the Commission on Higher Education’s
(CHED) guidelines.

The government also encourages parents to think of the K-

12 curriculum guide not as having two extra years of high
school, but as two years less of higher education.

Graduates of the new educational system will already be

equipped to join the workforce right away with the help of
the electives to be offered during grades 11 to 12.

The electives, or areas of specialization, will include

academics for those who wish to pursue higher studies,
technical-vocational for those who want to acquire
employable skills after high school, and sports and arts for
those who are inclined in the two fields.

Change is never easy, especially when it is about a big

undertaking such as the implementation of the new K-12
curriculum guide in the Philippines. It is high time, however,
that we join the rest of the world and improve the quality of
our basic education system and our graduates.