“The K to 12 Program covers Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (six years of primary education, four years of Junior High School, and two years of Senior High School [SHS]) to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship.” (The Official Gazette www.gov.com)
Kindergarten. Strengthening early childhood education is one of the features of the K-12 Program. The Department of Education , thus, allows every Filipino learner to have access to Kindergarten. Research shows that children who have gone through Kindergarten education perform better than those who did not. In addition, Kindergarten education will also enable learners to be prepared for a more challenging learning environment in the future.
Primary Education. Often known as elementary education, primary education is the next six years of schooling after Kindergarten graduation. The Mother Tongue is used as medium of instruction in all subjects (except Filipino and English subjects) from K-Grade3. The Department of education has identified twelve languages which will be used in order to implement MTBMLE (Mother tongue-based multilingual education).
Junior High School. After Primary Education graduation, students will enroll in Junior High School which will serve as their preparation for Senior High School.
Senior High School. In a span of one year, Senior High School level is ready to set off. This is the last two years to complete the basic education curriculum. This is a specialized level wherein students will have the chance to choose the area of specialization that they want to pursue. After graduation, students are deemed employable and are considered to be matured individuals who are ready to face the challenges of a work environment.
Sources: DepEd.gov.ph, The Official Gazette www.gov.ph
By: Nelfa C. Trinidad | T-II | Orani National Highschool
