Albay’s Governor Joey Salceda supports fully DepEd’s K to 12 program even if the Supreme Court declares it as unconstitutional. Salceda understands the necessity to add 2 years to the 10 year basic education to add more knowledge and experience for the Filipinos to compete in the national and international labor market.
Salceda expressed his beliefs that our basic education system really lacks more years and it is a disadvantage to our Filipino workers abroad as it hinders their promotion. The Philippines is one of the three countries in the world that has a 10 year basic education program. All the others have 12 years or have been implementing the K to 12 ever since. It is about time that the Philippines look into this matter and join the others. DepEd and the Philippine government are offering free additional years that can be considered as added value for the high school students.
Governor Salceda is among the policy makers who have been advocating for the K to 12 program and believes that if it is partnered with health programs and the 4Ps, the inter-generational transmission of poverty in the country will finally soon come to an end.
He further reiterated that the K to 12 is the key to social economic development. It is a solution to end the high poverty ratio and to give chances to the regular Filipinos to be competitive not only with other Filipinos but also with other nationalities abroad. He believes that K to 12 is a big help to augment the lack of capabilities and competitiveness of the Filipinos and that we will soon be as good as the rest of the world.
Salceda urges the public to be open to change and the K to 12 is the answer. It may not be easy to change a system that we have all gotten used to but change is essential to improve our education system. If we are not doing well internationally, then that is a hint that we should try something that others have proven effective — the K to 12 curriculum.
If majority supports this new change, social economic development follows. The government, through the DepEd plans and implements the K to 12. The other government agencies and private institutions and schools follow and support it will lead to success in the implementation and our graduates will be more marketable and competitive not only nationally but also internationally. There are many advantages to the K to 12 that most people have not realized. One day we will realize that progress starts with change.
By: Catherine P. Jarabe | T-III | Antonio G. Liamas Elementary school
