Module 6

Gearing Up for the Future:

Curriculum Reforms
 Lesson 1
The Enhanced Basic
Education
Act of 2013 (K to 12)
K to 12 makes the Philippine education system at par with the international standard of 12 -year
basic education thereby contributing to a better educated society capable of pursuing productive
employment, entrepreneurship, or higher education studies. After going through kindergarten,
elementary, junior high and a specialized senior high school program, every K to 12 graduate is
ready to go into different paths – higher education, middle level skills development,
employment, or entrepreneurship. The K to 12 graduates are also expected to be equipped with
21st century skills like information, media and technology skills, learning and innovation skills,
effective communication skills, and life and career skills.
 Why K to 12?
When K to 12 was launched in 2012, many Filipinos were apprehensive
because of the addition of two (2) more years in secondary schooling. Some
said, the additional two years are added burden for the average Filipino
family. Others said, the K to 12 program is doomed to fail since it does not
address the basic problems in education like lack of classrooms, chairs, books,
teachers, quality teaching and many more. Amidst criticisms, the Department
of Education pushed for the K to 12 implementation. What could be the
reasons?
Let's consider these existing
realities in Philippine education
that became the bases of the K to
12 implementation:
1. Mastery of
basic
competencies is
insufficient due
to congested
curriculum
The table below presents the national achievement test results of 4th year
students in Mathematics and Science. In 2005-2006 Mathematics results, only
15% of the students acquired mastery of the Mathematics competencies while
majority (59.09%) of the high school students belonged to the low mastery
level. The achievement results in Science was even more discouraging since
only 3% of the 4th year high school students in 2005-2006 mastered the
Science processes and skills. Majority belonged to the low mastery, category
and a few were in the near mastery level.
In international examinations, the Philippines performed poorly as revealed in 2003 TIMSS
(Trends in International Mathematics and Science) scores. In Grade IV Science and Math,
the Philippines ranked 23 out of 25 participating countries. In High School II Science, the
Philippines ranked 43 out of 46 and in Math ranked 34 out of 38. Even with only the science
high schools participating in the Advanced Mathematics category in 2008 TIMMS, the
country's ranking did not improve. In fact, it ranked the lowest (10) among ten participating
countries.
One of the factors that contribute to the low performance in achievement tests is the
congested basic education curriculum. What other countries teach in twelve (12) years the
Philippines teach only in ten (10) years. The ten (10) years would not be enough to master
the competencies. Adding two years would make possible the decongestion of the curriculum
for comprehensive acquisition of basic competencies and the 21st century skills.
 2. The Philippines
is the only
remaining country
in Asia with a 10
year basic
education
program.
 The table below presents the national achievement test results of 4th year
students in Mathematics and Science. In 2005-2006 Mathematics results,
only 15% of the students acquired mastery of the Mathematics competencies
while majority (59.09%) of the high school students belonged to the low
mastery level. The achievement results in Science was even more
discouraging since only 3% of the 4th year high school students in 2005-
2006 mastered the Science processes and skills. Majority belonged to the
low mastery, category and a few were in the near mastery level.
 Employability of Filipino
high school graduates

The K to 12 Curriculum prepares the students for the world of work, middle level
skills development, entrepreneurship and college education. As early as Grade 7 and
Grade 8, the student is made to explore at least 8 subjects in the four (4) areas of
Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) namely: Home Economics, ICT, Industrial
Arts and Agriculture and Fishery Arts. In Grade 10 and Grade 12, the student is
supposed to have obtained a National Certificate (NC) Level 1 and NC Level II from
TESDA. NCI and NC II make a Grade 12 graduate employable.
The short duration of basic education in the Philippines resulted to 15 year old
graduates who are not legally employable. With the implementation of the K to 12, the
graduates of senior high is 18 years old who is legally employable.
The K to 12
curriculum
 Section 5 of the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, stipulates the
following curricular standards which the curriculum developers adhered to
in crafting the K to 12 curriculum:
(a) The curriculum shall be learner-centered, inclusive and
developmentally appropriate;
(b) The curriculum shall be relevant, responsive and research based;
(c) The curriculum shall be culture-sensitive;
(d) The curriculum shall be contextualized and global;
(e) The curriculum shall use pedagogical approaches that are
constructivist, inquiry based, reflective, collaborative and integrative;
(f) The curriculum shall adhere to the principles and framework of Mother
Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) which starts from
where the learners are and from what they already knew proceeding from
the known to the unknown; instructional materials and capable teachers to
implement the MTB-MLE curriculum shall be available;
(g) The curriculum shall use the spiral progression approach to ensure
mastery of knowledge and skills after each level; and
(h) The curriculum shall be flexible enough to enable and allow schools to
localize, indigenize and enhance the same based on their respective
educational and social contexts. The production and development of locally
produced teaching materials shall be encouraged and approval of these
materials shall devolve to the regional and division education units.
 Curriculum Tracks

The student after undergoing Senior High School can choose among
four tracks: Academic; Technical-Vocational-Livelihood; and Sports
track and Arts and Design track. The Academic track includes four
strands: Business, Accountancy, Management (BAM); Humanities and
Social Sciences (HUMSS); Science, Technology, Engineering,
Mathematics (STEM); and General Academic Strand (GAS).
In the K to 12 curriculum, students go through different tracks or strands
starting from senior high school (grades 11 and 12). These tracks are
designed to cater to the students' interests, skills, and career goals. Here are
the different tracks available in the Philippines' K to 12 curriculum:

1. Academic Track: This track focuses on preparing students for college and
higher education. It includes the following strands:
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
- Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM)
- Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS)
- General Academic Strand (GAS)
• 2. Technical-Vocational-
Livelihood (TVL) Track: This
track focuses on developing
technical and vocational skills
relevant to various industries.
It includes the following
strands:
• - Agri-Fishery Arts
• - Home Economics
• - Industrial Arts
• - Information and
Communications Technology
(ICT)
• - Sports Track
• 3. Arts and Design Track: This
track focuses on developing
students' artistic and creative
skills. It includes the following
strands:
• - Visual Arts
• - Performing Arts
• - Media and Visual Arts
• - Applied Design
• 4. Sports Track: This track is
designed for students who excel
in sports and aims to develop
their athletic skills and
knowledge in various sports
Core Curriculum
Below are the learning
areas comprising the core
curriculum. The |
description is based on
DepEd Memo 13 s 2013.
1. Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) - This subject
focuses on the development of language skills in the student's native language, as
well as the introduction of other languages.

2. Filipino - This subject aims to develop proficiency in the Filipino language,

including reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.

3. English - This subject focuses on the development of English language skills,

including reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

4. Mathematics - This subject covers fundamental mathematical concepts, such as

numbers, operations, geometry, algebra, and statistics.

5. Science - This subject explores the basic principles of science, including the
study of living things, matter, energy, and the environment.
6. Araling Panlipunan (Social Studies) - This subject delves into the study of history, geography,
economics, and government, with a focus on Filipino society and culture.

7. Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (Values Education) - This subject aims to develop the moral and
ethical values of the students, promoting positive character traits and responsible citizenship.

8. Physical Education (PE) and Health - This subject focuses on physical fitness, sports, and
health education, promoting an active and healthy lifestyle.

9. Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health (MAPEH) - This subject combines music, arts,
physical education, and health education to develop students' creativity, physical skills, and
appreciation for the arts.

10. EsP (Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao) - This subject is an alternative to Values Education and
focuses on the development of the students' moral and spiritual values, as well as their
understanding of societal issues.
 Oral Communication
Reading & Writing
Language Komunikasyon at Pananaliksik sa Wikang Filipino at Kulturang
Pilipino
Pagbasa at Pagsusuri ng Iba't Ibang Teksto Tungo sa Pananaliksik
21" Century Literature from the Philippines and the World
Humanities
Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions
Communication Media & Information Literacy
General Mathematics
Mathematics
Statistics & Probability
Earth and Life Sciences Lecture and Laboratory
Science
Physical Sciences Lecture and Laboratory
Social Science Personal Development / Pansariling Kaunlaran
Understanding Society & Culture
Intro to Philosophy of the Human Person/Pambungad sa
Philosophy
Pilosopiya ng Tao
PE and Health - Physical Education and Health
Below are the 7 contextualized subjects. The contextualized subjects
apply to all tracks and strands but the subjects are taught in the context of
the track. For example, English for Academic and Professional Purposes
for the Tech Voc track will center on techvoc terms, describing and
reporting techvoc-related procedures while for the Sports track, the
English subject will focus on the language for sports. Research may be a
presentation and defense of a paper in management for ABM track or in
STEM but may be a culminating activity or exhibit for the Arts and
Design track and end-of-the- term exhibits for the Arts and Design track.
Academic Track Tech-voc, Sports, Arts and Design Tracks
English for Academic and
English for the Professions
Professional Purposes
Introduction to Research
Research Skills 1
Methods - Quantitative
Introduction to Research
Research Skills 2
Methods - Qualitative
Filipino course Mga Diskurso sa Trabaho

ICT for Learners ICT applications

Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship

Research Project Research Project / Culminating Activity

 7 Applied Subjects
Academic's Tech-Voc, Sports,
Arts and Design
1. English for Academic and
Professional Purposes
2. Research in Daily Life 1
3. Research in Daily Life 2
4. Pagsulat sa Filipino sa
Piling Larangan
5. Entrepreneurship
6. Empowerment
Technologies (E-Tech):
ICT for Professional Tracks
7. Research Project /
Culminating Activity
 Specialization Subjects,
Academic Track, ABM

1. Applied Economics
2. Business Ethics and Social Responsibility
3. Fundamentals of Accountancy, Business and Management 1
4. Fundamentals of Accountancy, Business and Management 1
5. Business Math
6. Business Finance
7. Organization and Management
8. Principles of Marketing
9. Work Immersion/Research?Career Advocacy/Culminatin
 Specialization STEM

1. Pre-Calculus
2. Basic Calculus
3. General Biology 1
4. General Biology 2
5. General Physics 1
6. General Physics 2
7. General Chemistry 1
8. General Chemistry 2
9. Work Immersion/Research/Career Advocacy/Culminating Activity
 Specialization
HUMSS
1. Creative Writing
2. Creative Non-Fiction: The Literacy Essay
3. World Religions and Belief Systems
4. Trends, Networks and Critical thinking in the 21st Century
5. Philippine Politics and Governance
6. Community Engagement, Social Participation and Citizenship
7. Disciplines and Ideas in the Social Sciences
8. Disciplines and Ideas in the Applied Sciences
9. Work Immersion/Research/Career Advocacy/Culminating Activity
 Specialization - General
Academic Strand

1. Humanities 1
2. Humanities 2
3. Social Science 1
4. Applied Economics
5. Organization and Management
6. Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction
7. Elective 1 (from any track/strand)
8. Elective 2 (from any track/strand)
9. Work Immersion/Research/Career Advocacy/Culminating Activity
 Specialization - Sports

1. Safety and First Aid

2. Human Movement
3. Fundamentals of Coaching
4. Sports Officiating and Activity Management
5. Fitness, Sports and Recreation Leadership
6. Psychosocial Aspects of Sports and Exercise
7. Fitness Testing and Exercise Programming
8. Practicum (in-campus)
9. Work Immersion/Research/Career Advocacy/Culminating Activity
 Specialized courses for
Arts and Design Tracks
Arts Track 1 Introduction to Applied Arts and Design Production
Arts Track 3 Understanding Elements and Principles of the Different Arts
Arts Track 4 Work Environment in Various Arts Fields
Arts Track 5 Developing Filipino Identity in the Arts
Arts Track 6 Leadership and Management in Different Arts Fields
Arts Track 7 Apprenticeship and Exploration of Different Arts Fields
(Production and
Arts Track 8 Performing: Music, Dance and Theater)
Arts Track 9 Apprenticeship and Exploration of Different Arts Design
Production (Media Arts, Visual Arts and Literary Arts)
 Specialized courses for Sports Track
Sports Track Subjects

Sports Track 1 Safety and First Aid

Sports Track 2 Understanding Human Movement
Sports Track 3 General Coaching Course
Sports Track 4 Sports Officiating
Sports Track 5 Fitness Leadership
Sports Track 6 Sports/Recreation/Fitness Management
Sports Track 7 Student-Athlete Enhancement and Formation
Sports Track 8 Fitness Testing and Exercise Prescription
 Thank you
for listening