Education outcomes in terms of participation, completion and achievement rates attest to this urgent need.
The poor quality of basic education is reflected in the low achievement scores of Filipino students in the National Achievement Test and international test like TIMSS. One reason behind this is that students do not get adequate instructional time or time task. This is partly due to the congested curriculum. The current 10-year basic education curriculum is designed to be taught in 12 years. This has been affirmed in the study conducted by SEAMEO-Innotech where it noted that the Philippine basic education is congested compared to the curriculum of other countries in Asia. Specifically, it stated that elementary education is congested especially in Mathematics, Languages and Sciences.
Our high school graduates are not adequate prepared for the world of work. Most of the basic education graduates are too young to legally enter the labor force. This implies that those who will not go to college would either be unemployed or be vulnerable to exploitative labor practices. Those who may be interested to set up business cannot legally enter into contracts.
Our high school graduates are not adequately prepared to pursue higher education. They still have to undergo remedial and high school level classes in colleges and universities.
The 10-year basic education cycle hinders the recognition of Filipino professionals abroad because the Philippines is the only country in Asia and among the three remaining countries in the world that has a 10-year basic education cycle.
Thus, the Department of Education in collaboration with various government and non-government stakeholders has develop the K to 12 Program which aims to improve basic education in the Philippines.
This was all taken up and introduced and well-presented through the effort of all officials of the Department of Education led by Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro during the conduct of K to 12 Pre-Summit Conference held in Teacher Camp, Baguio City on December 5, 2011.
By: Randy M. Bongco | Teacher III | Orion Elementary School | Orion, Bataan
