A major overhaul to the domestic education policy takes effect with the implementation of the K-12 curriculum. This has far-reaching consequences, including becoming a stronger candidate in the eyes of international educational institutions when looking for potential new student recruitment markets. Students who graduate under the new plan become more competent to take part in overseas universities at the undergraduate level, making the country an attractive recruitment destination, and its graduates competitive in a global context.
The basic education gets a 2-year extension, from kindergarten year plus two additional seniot high school years. This gives the students sufficient instructional time to master skills and concepts that will prepare them better for tertiary education or to join the labor force. In the old system, kindergarten is optional but it is now implemented in the new program to enhance competence of children who will enter primary school. Additionally, Filipino is used as the language of instruction in the basic and lower years to expedite learning. There is also an interactive map of all public schools that can be used in recruitment by other institutions. Indicators like the school’s budget, enrollment statistics, education indicators, number of teaching personnel, furniture, textbooks, classrooms, and even water and power supply are listed.
The 10-point agenda of the curriculum includes the addition of 2 years, universal kindergarten, and instruction in the mother tongue. The other seven points are the establishment of Madaris Education as a sub-system, make every child a reader by first grade, improve science and math, expand government assistance to private education, better textbooks, build more schools in cooperation with local government units, and re-introduce technical and vocational education in public high schools. In conjunction, another priority is to add more classrooms and teachers to prevent overcrowding and to improve capability and efficiency. All these is implemented to make graduates more prepared and competitive to become a part of the manpower of the country and abroad.
By: Imelda R. Villanueva | Teacher II | Saysain High School | Bagac, Bataan
