This season is the most crucial change in Philippine education because of the full implementation of K to 12 or he Enhanced Basic Education of 2013 which adding of two years to our basic education that is called the Senior High School (grade 11 and grade 12) not only that in this reform Kindergarten is a prerequisite to a child that will enter grade 1 that ensuring the easy access and quality education for all Filipino children. Prior to this the Philippines is one of the three counties (apart Djibouti and Angola) that having ten years of basic education.
In this reform, instead of going straight to colleges and universities the students from grade 10 will enter Senior High School (SHS) and as a result of it colleges and universities face consequences like decrease in enrollment that will be felt in the period of five years not only that a low enrollment rate will cause low income to them that may result decrease of teaching loads for the college instructors and the most critical scenario is removing them from their positions. In the part of the parents it is also a big burden to them because it also indicates additional expenses for the education of their children. But our government sees it before they implement it in the part of the instructors many government agencies are offering scholarship grant for their Masteral or Doctoral Degree and not only that they will get a living allowance during their studies, a for the colleges and universities the Department of Education or DepEd allow them to offer Senior High School that offer different tracks and strands so that their enrollment are not so much affected by this transition and their income will not suffer too much and lastly in the part of the parents our government offers scholarship grants to all Grade 10 students that want to enter in private schools but as change of they need to pass all the subject because failed grade will result of their disqualification or dismissal of their scholarships.
We know that this change is very difficult to those affected individuals and associations but with the help of each other it will become easily adaptable and as a result of this change upcoming Filipino graduates are more specialized to their skills and knowledge, globally competitive, holistic, relevant college education and now they have comparable years of education and trainings with their international peers that have a better respond to the needs of the 21st century
By: Arjay A. Alarcon, R.N., LPT
