Clemente, Christen Jayna D.

BA Social Sciences (Area Studies)

ANTHRO 1 - TFC 2021 - 46242

An Assessment of the Impact of K-12

Education on the Behavior of College Students

By May of this year, it will mark ten years since the K-12 Education Program, as signed

into law by President Benigno Aquino III, was first implemented. Republic Act No. 10533,

otherwise known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, amended the country’s basic

education system, adding two year levels to the initial ten years, which we now know as senior

high school (SHS). It sought to patch up the deficiencies that the initial ten-year program had as

well as to “truly [imbue] our youth with the skills they need to pursue their dreams” (Aquino,

2013, as cited in Burgonio, 2013).

Backers of the program even promised the opportunity to find a job immediately after

those two years of additional study. The College of Arts and Technology [CIIT] (2015) stated

that the K-12 program will be sufficient preparation for full-time employment as the graduates

can legally secure a full-time job. Along with this, the Department of Education [DepEd] can

collaborate with other agencies, such as the Technical Education and Skills Development

Authority [TESDA] and the Department of Labor and Employment [DOLE] (CIIT, 2015). They

may also gain the support of employers so they can become a part of the workforce (CIIT, 2015).

However, all it became was an additional requirement to get into colleges. Truly, the

supposed effect of the program on the Filipino workforce is lost on the many companies that still

require a bachelor’s degree to get hired. To further learn why this is the case, let us explore its

effects on college students’ behavior. We aim to answer the following questions:

1. How are these effects supposed to look?

 2. Have the goals of this program been met sufficiently after nearly a decade of

implementing it?

In an attempt to answer these questions, seven college students, all of whom have

experienced K-12 during the peak of its implementation and graduated from senior high school,

were interviewed. The virtual interview was conducted via Google Forms with their responses

later collated via Google Sheets. What follows is a synthesis of their answers to each of the six

questions.

What are the respondents’ experiences with the K-12 Education Program?

Upon being asked, the seven respondents stated that their experience with the program

was neither particularly fulfilling nor pleasant. One respondent, Participant F, mentioned that

senior high school only reiterated topics they discussed in high school. On the other hand,

Participant C said it discussed subjects they tackled later in their university years, albeit watered

down.

Two other respondents reported that they neither found the program helpful nor believed

it achieved its goals. Participant E, said so as they knew fellow students whose course programs

did not align with their chosen strand. Participant G, said so because their experience in senior

high could not aid him in his college years.

Do they think they benefitted from the program?

Five of seven respondents reported that they had gained at least one benefit from the

K-12 program, particularly in senior high school. Participants A, B, C, and D all recounted that

the program helped them improve some of their practical skills, ranging from critical thinking (B

and C), time management (D), and self-sufficiency (A and D). Participant F, along with
Participant B, also found that the final two years helped them to properly assess if they were

making the right choices in terms of their career.

Two of the seven, meanwhile, stated that they saw no benefits in the program. Participant

E reported that it was because “[n]ot everyone is final with their decision [...] and are very

inconsistent” when picking their career path. It is worth noting that they enrolled in a course

without a connection to their chosen strand in SHS. Participant G did not benefit from it as they

found the program “poorly planned.”

Did the program give them any disadvantages or difficulties?

The most common difficulty respondents experienced was the lack of shared subjects

across academic strands. Participants B and C, both HUMSS graduates, said they found entrance

examinations difficult. They found them difficult because most mock tests and entrance

examinations focus on science and mathematics, subjects they were ill-equipped for and may be

better suited for STEM students. This observation posits an unfair advantage towards non-STEM

students. Participant E reported problems in decision-making. However, they did not elaborate

on this. Participant G said that they felt SHS was a waste of time. They had less time to pursue

other fields they otherwise would have been passionate about because of the program.

Participants A, D, and F did not report any disadvantages. Participant D stated it was due

to the online class setup, which they found difficult to focus on.

Do they think GE courses are still necessary?

Participants A and F both said they would have preferred not to take GE courses. This

implies that they do not believe that GE courses are necessary; however, they did mention that it

would have depended on what course a student is taking. It is worth noting that both of these

participants had enrolled themselves in more creative course programs.

 Three of the seven respondents said that they believe general education (GE) courses are

still needed. Participant B found that GE courses served as a break from major subjects and

helped in “ensuring that [they] remain[ed] well-rounded in their education.” They mentioned that

the existence of GE courses acknowledged societal overlaps. Participants C and E shared this

thought, with Participant C, in particular, saying that these courses are necessary and important

as the general knowledge can be applied by students in their respective fields. For example, a BS

Biology student may study ethics for laboratory purposes, or a BA Social Sciences student may

study mathematics to understand economics better. Participant C, however, did also acknowledge

that if this is the case, then SHS would not be necessary.

Participant D said that GE courses were no longer necessary because they defeat the

entire purpose of SHS if students attend what appears to be similar to GE courses and have them

retake slightly more elaborate versions of them in college. Participant G, on the other hand, does

not believe GE courses to be necessary because they find more importance in the major courses.

What did they think could have been improved with our education system?

Upon being asked what could improve the K-12 Education Program, three respondents

out of seven said to eradicate the program. In their opinion, none of the issues would have

existed had the program not been implemented at all. Only one respondent, Participant B,

thought differently; they believed that K-12 could be improved by better integrating it with a

college education. They also suggested using a grassroots approach to tackle the issues with

education, as inflation affects the capability of a household to send children to school for those

two additional years. The remaining three opted out of answering this question.

On the other hand, when asked what could improve a college education, the respondents

had differing suggestions. Participant A suggested that college courses be highly specialized and
narrowed down to the major subjects. Participant B wished there was a better adjustment period

between the various setups. Participant C aimed for the de-Westernization of the higher

education system. Lastly, Participant D asked to ensure the quality of professors’ teaching. Once

again, three remaining respondents opted out of answering the question.

What do experts say about the K-12 Education Program?

BusinessMirror (2022) reports that one of the advantages of K-12 is a more streamlined

education. With K-12, students can choose which topics they would like to focus on by the

senior high school strands. Given that students are free to pursue what they want, one could say

that K-12 education is more “student-centered” (BusinessMirror, 2022). Ittoralba (2022) states

that adjusting the curriculum narrows students’ scope and supposedly prepares them for college

life. In addition, the adjustment to the number of years causes an influx in the number of

students. It also provides opportunities for others, such as teachers who otherwise would not

have jobs, as well as certain industries (Itorralba, 2022).

Another oft-mentioned benefit of K-12 is increasing the employability of high school

graduates. Since K-12 is considered a preparatory stage before college, it discusses similar topics

and teaches skills that are introduced within the first two years of college. In addition, students

will be allowed to take entrepreneurship classes or apply for certifications. This way, they can

either ensure that they will be employed as soon as possible or employ themselves by starting a

business. As BusinessMirror (2022) puts it, “[g]one are the days when students finish their

college diplomas [early ...] but cannot compete with their Asian neighbors” (p. 7).

According to former House Speaker Cayetano (2019), “many House members believe

that the K to 12 program is ‘still not living up to its promise’”. He cited that one “problem with

the implementation” is the lack of school equipment for certain tracks (Roxas, 2019b). Knowing
this, it seems ironic that a program whose purpose is to provide children with the resources to

pursue their dreams lacks the resources it needs.

As brought up by BusinessMirror (2022), another major issue with the K-12 system was

the financial burden it places on Filipino families. More years of schooling meant thousands of

pesos worth of expenses in the form of allowances, school supplies, and uniforms, even under a

public school system. Not all schools can offer senior high school programs, thus limiting the

number of enrollees by default. Those unprepared for these things often have to sacrifice their

child’s right to education and drop them out of school, which will not be beneficial in the long

run.

According to that same article by Roxas (2019b), in October 2019, then-Biñan

representative Alonte and ACT Teachers party-list representative Castro urged the Department of

Education to prove the effectiveness of the K-12 program. Earlier that year, former Education

Secretary Briones admitted she was “unsure of where senior high school graduates go” (Roxas,

2019a). As of the writing of that article, no tracer studies had been written or published

concerning these graduates. However, in a study evaluating the academic performance of K-12

graduates, Almerino et al. (2020) reported that the STEM and ABM graduates garnered the most

above-average scores. This result implied that students enrolled in these strands have an

advantage over those who are not. Two respondents found that entrance examinations focused

more on science and mathematics. STEM and ABM students, whose programs rely on technical

and practical applications of these subjects, have been prioritized over the rest. This is

unfortunate, as the people enrolled in those strands, such as HUMSS, GAS, TVL, and ADT,

appear less competent, or worse, incompetent compared to their STEM and ABM colleagues.
 This brings us to our next prevalent issue, which is employment. As I had mentioned

before, supporters of the program claimed that graduates could find a job immediately after

senior high school (CIIT, 2015; BusinessMirror, 2020). However, even with support, only 24%

of employers accept fresh graduates (JobStreet Philippines, 2018). The Philippine Business for

Education released the results of another survey which stated that, out of three companies open

to hiring SHS graduates, only one is “ready to do so” (Gonzales, 2018). The employers that do

not accept these graduates said they do not do so because they continue prioritizing either a

college degree or prior work experience over “employability” (Cabuenas, 2018; Gonzales, 2018).

Conclusion

The K-12 Education Program, as we have found, has its flaws. Despite having raised

education budgets, it was never allowed to be implemented properly, especially amid the

pandemic. It is a costly addition to primary education that does not guarantee any of the benefits

that it promised to give. Some students gain an unfair advantage over others. Some others do not

get to pursue their dream course in college as “more competent” students fill the slots. Still,

others do not even get to study due to financial circumstances. These flaws are worth

acknowledging and undoing. While the program is not above scrutiny, it is not beyond

redemption. In my opinion, the program and its goals are feasible. It only needs a thorough

assessment and, if ever, some revisions to maximize its potential.

Like anthropology, education also concerns itself with how an infant or child turns into a

functioning member of society. After all, education is not limited to formal institutions such as

schools but concerns the informal, such as the family and the community. While it is a tool for

guidance, education is also an important tool for the enculturation or assimilation of a member
into a given group, be it a family, community, society, or nation. Anthropology, in turn, seeks to

observe how each differing culture carries this act out.

Regarding the conflict between senior high school and general education courses, I do not

think either will soon take the place of the other. There are benefits and drawbacks to both of

them. However, I believe that over time, these two will integrate more effectively.

As a new administration assumes power, we must accept that the situation of our

education is uncertain. Whether they change our educational system for the better or worse

remains to be seen. Despite everything, we must never forget that we are the ones who must

adjust to the changes this new administration makes. Thus, we must guarantee that they are held

accountable.
 References

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academic performance of K-12 Students in the Philippines: A standardized evaluation

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