Now that the first year of Senior High School begins this school year, there still remain some doubts as to the advantages and disadvantages of the K-12 program. Some parents and students seem to still be in confusion whether the program is really beneficial or not.
To help further clarify doubts and queries, it will be good to once again look into the pros and cons of the K-12 program. Like any other program, there will be the good and the not so good side. It seems everything needs to be constantly reviewed and improved even those that are considered perfect already to be able to come up with the best policies for the best quality of education.
Some disadvantages of the K-12 program as what parents and students think is the longer years they have to stay in high school. The additional years mean additional expenses in allowance and other expenses as well. Those are the very obvious and most talked about disadvantages that the program has stirred ever since it was first launched by the Department of Education.
The biggest advantage, however, is that the graduates have the option to start a career at an earlier age because graduating from Senior High School means they can now apply for skilled jobs or start a business. Those who will pursue a college degree will be more equipped since they have been readied with the core and specialized subjects.
With that, the students are more competent. Considering that our graduates are required to study again when they go abroad if they have to be licensed there as nurses, engineers, or doctors, the K-12 is the key to this problem. This is because one of the arguments of these countries like the UK and the US is that we lack years in high school.
Another advantage is that the additional years the students will utilize allows them to think of what career path they would really like to pursue. Some students, even after high school, seem to be unsure of what college degree to take that they end up with degrees they do not enjoy or they do not use altogether.
With a mind set for the long term, the K-12, although is still a work in progress, has more advantages than disadvantages. It has more to offer our students so that they are better equipped to be world-class professionals, entrepreneurs, and/or skilled workers.
References:
Porter, E. (2014). “A Simple Equation: More Education = More Income.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 10 Sept. 2014. Web. 11 Sept. 2014
Schofield, K. (1999). The Purposes of Education, Queensland State Education
“Why is P – 12 career education important?”. Department of Education and Training (Queensland). 2004. Retrieved on 2016-03-05.
By: Cresilda L. Sulpico | Teacher I | Facundo Angeles Memorial Elementary School
