It was a swift forty one years since I first grasped the concept of school, class and learning. I did not go through Kindergarten stage so as to be equipped with the capability of knowing how to write my full name and a few characters in the English alphabet, I just learned to write my name on the walls and doors of our house using  crayons and pencils. And, at the age of six, I  was made to sit in a Grade one class where counting was as easy as counting only from zero to ten. Ten years after that day, there I was marching my way to the stage for my high school graduation. By then, I am already equipped in writing not just my full name but several pages of English or Filipino compositions or literary works; expressing myself in either English or Filipino is as easy and useful in maintaining meaningful discourse with others; and, though, not my cup of tea, simple algebraic equations and useful mathematics conversions and operations are always at hand. By far, going to school and attending classes in the hope of learning something has been the longest part of my existence.

In the viewpoint of a student, a child or young adult, the system that rules his learning and schooling may not be of the essence to know and understand. It was enough that that student goes to school from Mondays to Fridays and gets a passing grade in every subject, which leads to a diploma later on. I belonged to a General Education Curriculum, if my memory serves me right. The only thing I understood from that premise during my high school days was that there was a list of courses or subjects I needed to complete before qualifying to graduate and moving into the bigger picture which is getting a degree.

In several instances, a few friends and relatives who are based overseas would ask what grade or year I was in and returning back the question to them or their children felt bizarre after hearing the answers. Grade 11 or 12 was fresh and new to the ears. Now, how did that happen? It was later on that I understood that the educational system of the Philippines differ from that of the other countries. I thought that the Philippines had one of the shortest years a child spends in school. To an ordinary man, this premise is beneficial to a third world country with the bulk of the society belonging to a middle or lower class. It means spending on education is not as expensive because years are shorter and requirements are lesser. There was already an intermittent debate with several sectors, both in the private and public sectors, towards the shift in the system. It was suggested that a system similar to that which is used by western countries are to be adopted and applied nationwide. It was detested by several parties and similarly supported by some. We can only come to understand that these opposing parties have their own reasons for their differing views towards such program.

The Philippines geared towards this shift in 2013 through the passing of Republic Act 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013. Scholarly researches and casual feedbacks state that there are more advantages to K to 12 compared to that of the previous one. There were several intents stated in the program and these are expounded through the features published by the Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines in congruence with the implementing agency, Department of Education:

1. Universal Kindergarten. The child’s earlier years are one of the most important ones as the child’s brain is still growing and developing. Mainstream and outright learning like that of the primary years is not featured in this stage; instead, the child is being prepared for the next step which is primary education. With the special attention to the learning styles of a child, it is devised that the use of suitable tools and ways such as games and songs are to be applied. Moreover, a mother-tongue approach is to be used as a medium of instruction and teaching, which is beneficial to a country like ours with different dialects and ways of communication.
2. Contextualization and Enhancement. A revamp in the previous curriculum is also one of the highlights of the new one. It has been enhanced to relate the theories presented to the students in day-to-day living, thereby causing ease in understanding and learning the essence of what is being presented. Three emphases are given towards Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Climate Change Adaptation and Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Our country and its people validated the importance of being prepared in times of disaster. We have experienced deadly typhoons and natural catastrophes beyond our control and, these have caught us empty handed which may be due to our lack of preparedness. Similarly, climate change is a threat that local and international bodies are encouraging us to ready ourselves for. And, due to the advent and fast turnover of technology in industries and daily life, it was deemed suitable to have a program which addresses to enhance our appreciation and control of this advantage.
3. Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education. With the premise ‘the child’s first school is his home’, the explanation of the need for an education which matches his first methodology of learning and understanding is salient. A country with a rich-history and varied influences, like that of the Philippines, explains the reason for different dialects being used from all the corners of the country. It is but proper to start the child’s learning using the dialect that he is accustomed to, thereby, paving the way for easier translation and understanding of other languages like English and Filipino.
4. Spiral Progression. In nursing, there are principles on development and growth coined cephalocaudal and simple to complex. The progression of lessons in the K to 12 program matches these principles. Basics are discussed and offered in the earlier years which then progresses to complex, but related, ones in the later part of the program. Science and mathematics subjects offered in the later part of the previous curriculum are now in the middle part of the curriculum.
5. Senior High School. The current curriculum has been enhanced in such a way that the good of the students and the future is also taken into consideration. The flow starts with Kindergarten directly leading to six years of primary education; further into four years of junior high school and an additional two years platform for senior high school. Transparently, it is not just about learning in the four corners of a classroom with theories and textbooks but putting it into practice through specializations. These specializations are devised in curriculums and tracks which parallel students to their abilities and interests to that of the school’s capacity and maximize these by providing opportunities for certifications, earning and immersions. Relevantly and in the layman’s understanding, the student gets to find out what he is interested in and might want to take in the future as his field of specialization – possibly finding his passion leading him to the path of a fitting job and profession. To cite Naveen Jain in this regard, “our Education system was developed for an industrial era where we could teach certain skills to our children and they were able to use these skills for the rest of their lives working productively in an industry.”

Change is always inevitable and, possibly, the most permanent reality in this world. The program is up and running since 2013 and we are down to its fourth year of implementation. There will always be doubts but the optimism and efforts of it becoming a success can gain enthusiasm and approval. Might as well, give it a try? Foreseen or not, the times have become tougher and life as we know it is not as we knew before. Preparations are vital to enable us adjust with the ride. One of the best practices of readiness is being well-informed and abled through a good quality of education. This may be our chance to catch up with the rest of the human race. We are shifting our gear, warming up and, with much anticipation and excitement, speeding towards our goal – the best for the Philippines and for each and every Filipino.

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Reference:

1. Website of the Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. http://www.gov.ph/k-12/#section-7. Successfully accessed on 16 March 2016.

 

By: Soledad V. Llarina | Samal National High School