As the new administration is about to unfold in June 30, the Duterte Administration, from pummeling the K to 12 program with its cons, has turned out to be supporting it in the latter periods before the incoming president Rodrigo Duterte assumes office. The K to 12 program has been one of the most controversial implemented government programs ever, garnering criticisms and supports – due to its “hasty” implementation, that the policy was carried out in the midst of lack of resources, personnel and preparation; at the same time, due to the promise it paves way for a better education system in which the students under its banner would have a brighter future with their furthered knowledge and skills, bolstered by the curriculum itself. The incoming administration has given its official statement regarding the continuance of the curriculum, and the support that it has managed to have decided. The Duterte administration has let the K to 12 program to grow and to thrive in light of its controversies and promises. We are about to witness growth and the fruit that the curriculum is about to bear.
Incoming president Rodrigo Duterte had a change of heart in terms of the implementation of the controversial K to 12 program, from his plans of reverting the implemented curriculum, to his decision to back it up with support. According to him, the change that he had made was possible due to his talks with some DepEd personnel. The talks encompassed Duterte having been oriented about the program, in which the DepEd personnel explained to him the state of the nation being left behind in the global educational standards due to the Philippines being one of the last three countries to still have 10-year pre-University cycle, with Djibouti and Angola. In addition to that, the incoming president has also been oriented regarding the Filipino students being the ones who will suffer if the 10-year education system would continue.
The administration’s incoming education secretary, Leonor Briones also appealed for the understanding of the “birth pains” of the new education system, also, she implied that when the incoming president Duterte assumes office on June 30th, the K to 12 program has been fully implemented – for the outgoing administration had its plans of full implementation of the program in June 2016, as it was said in the Official Gazette of the Philippines a few years ago.
This coming school year, with the full implementation being carried out, the first batch of students who previously graduated in Junior High School last school year will be the first to be in the Senior High School.
The full implementation of the curriculum brings out the promises it made on its framework, and as the incoming president once said, change is coming. The implementation will serve as the stage where our education system reaches its growing stage. The K to 12 program that was planted five years ago is about to grow, then thrive, and finally, bear fruit – the fruits that our very nation will be harvesting in the future. K to 12 program is undeniably and inevitably flourishes every aspect of a Filipino student – the knowledge, the skills, the values, and the overall attributes, preparing him/her for a better future. The curriculum paves the way for a better Philippines, for the students of today will be the ones who will run the nation of tomorrow, like the way a plant was planted a few years ago and its fruit will be harvested in some future time. The fruits that will be harvested from the K to 12 program will be of great benefit for the country, that will be possible because the incoming Duterte administration has decided to let it grow, and not to be cut down. President Duterte and his administration, have let the education system grow, let every Filipino student grow, and let the Republic of the Philippines grow. Prepare to harvest the fruits from a grown nation.
By: Joyner Kersey S. Bagtas
