“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” A saying of former African’s president Nelson Mandela that questioned every people if it is true or not. But for the government of our country, they really believe in this.
In our country, there are three levels of education, namely: elementary, secondary and tertiary. Public and private elementary and secondary education fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Education while tertiary education falls under the jurisdiction of the Commission on Higher Education. Specifically, program design, policy formulation and standardization, curriculum and staff development in the elementary level and the high school level are managed by the Bureau of Elementary Education and the Bureau of Secondary Education, respectively.
But when the year 2012- 2013 came, the current education system of the Philippines was changed from the 10- years of basic education into 12- years through the program called the K-12Education Plan of the Department of Education.
In addition to this, the program aims to uplift the quality of education in the Philippines in order for graduates to be easily employed. The program also aims to meet the standards required for professionals who would want to work abroad.
Most importantly, the system aims to fully enhance and develop the students in order for them to be well-prepared especially in emotional and cognitive aspects. Through this, graduates will be able to face the pressures of their future workplace.
However, not all are in favor of the K+12 Education. There are students complaining of the additional years and there are parents who are not in favor of the additional expenses. But indeed, it is an undeniable fact that additional years in the education system will really require more budgets not just from the government but from the parents as well.
In this case, how can we say that the new curriculum in our country is really the weapon to success if some students and parents are not in favor in this curriculum?
By: Mary Ann S. Aclado | Teacher II | Mariveles National High School – Poblacion | Mariveles, Bataan
