When people heard news of the K-12 program implementation in the country, it received mixed reactions. Suddenly, there was a combination of backlashes and praise in the background with the students left puzzled on whose voice to listen to. There are still challenges and standards of quality to consider but the important thing is to establish that development is present as a result of the new program. Now that the K to 12 system is fully implemented in the country, how did it affect the Philippine education system? And was it successful in its objectives prior to implementation?
Overview of K to 12
K stands for kindergarten and 12 refers to the succeeding 12 years of basic education, which is why it is called K to 12. The 12 years of basic education comprises of 6 years of elementary education, 4 years of junior high school, and 2 years of senior high school. The K-12 program offers a decongested 12-year program for the students which aims to give them sufficient time to master skills and acquire basic competencies with the goal of being competitive on a global scale. Students of the new system will be equipped with the skills required to be ready for employment, entrepreneurship, middle-level skills development, and higher education even if they intend to do so after graduation.
The K to 12 program promotes global competency by accelerating mutual recognition of Filipino graduates and professionals in other countries. The new curriculum allows students to choose between three tracks which are the Academic, Technical-Vocational-Livelihood, and the Sports and Arts strand. It will also give students opportunities to undergo immersions, have relevant exposure to a variety of industries, and to have experience in their chosen track. Whereas the old curriculum offers a broad and linear curriculum, it did not include enough practical applications like the K-12 does.
Starting with Kindergarten as the foundation for lifelong learning and development, the 12-year curriculum aims to give students the journey in education that they deserve. Foreign countries perceive that a ten-year curriculum in the education department is insufficient that is why many Filipinos abroad are not recognized professionals. With the new curriculum, graduates are fully equipped with the skills which can help them stand out on a global scale and compete accordingly according to international standards.
Advantages of K to 12 to the Philippine Education Sector
There are plenty of advantages to the new curriculum of the K to 12 program and most of them put the Filipino student at the forefront of the educational agenda. The K to 12 curricula in the Philippines will put Filipino students at par with the rest of the world. This would be a testament that an investment in education is the key toward reaching national growth and development. There is still a challenge in accepting the K to 12 system as a curriculum but with these advantages, doing so would require less difficulty. There are some people who still think that the K to 12 system is just a stretched curriculum with barely any changes from the old curriculum. The curriculum is more than that, as it clearly focuses on enhancing the students’ progress and their future.
Here are some of the benefits that students can receive from the curriculum:
PREPAREDNESS FOR TERTIARY LEARNING
With the adaptation of the K to 12 program, students are expected to graduate at an age that is a bit older than past graduates of the old curriculum. According to DepEd, this would be an advantage to the young adults venturing out into the professional world because they would be much more equipped to deal with the higher level of learning as they enter college. With this, they can choose to continue their education to higher forms which will be another great journey to access essential learning developments.
READINESS TO JOIN THE WORKFORCE
Unlike the old system, K to 12 can make students more prepared in joining the workforce. The new curriculum has this benefit because they compel each student to be enthusiastic about the workforce and the scheme empowers students to make a choice on their own. They may or may not pursue a college program especially if they have chosen a track other than the academic track. Senior high school students need not fret if they would like to explore other fields aside from their own because they get to choose electives that can also hone their skills in certain areas that they are interested in.
SKILL COMPETENCY IN THE GLOBAL JOB MARKET
The K to 12 system aims to improve Filipino students’ skills in mathematics, science, and linguistics to further exhibit competence in the global job market. With the new curriculum, the Department of Education promises to offer higher quality education through the strands. Each track will give the students enough time to master a field and enhance their skills in that respective industry and by the end of the curriculum, K to 12 graduates will be ready to become globally competitive and are set to obtain a spot in the meticulous labor market.
K TO 12 IS A LEARNER-CENTERED CURRICULUM
K to 12 as a student-centered curriculum can influence the students to take a more active role in the learning process. With the freedom and the flexibility to choose what they will learn, how they will learn, and how they can evaluate your own learning, this would be a way to teach them about independence and how to be a reliable member of a team. Not only will this make learning very enjoyable and easier for students, it will also help address diverse needs which include special cases and those that come from indigenous groups which make this education system very inclusive for everyone.
K TO 12 FOSTERS GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Unlike the previous education system, K to 12 offers more opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship. Many schools in the Philippines are slowly implementing this. Graduates of the new system can instantly get a job after they receive their certificates and passing competency-based assessments. On the other hand, they can set up their own business or continue their education in college. All the options will help every student to step up in improving their competence, skills, and professional characteristics.
The Role of K to 12 to Students and their Parents
It is a sad reality that there are students who drop out of high school without graduating which leaves them unemployed and at risk of facing difficulties. Parents, educators, employers, and students themselves hold the responsibility of making sure that this does not happen and that they secure a future for themselves. K to 12 plays a vital role for students and their parents in ensuring that they would be competitive in the workforce and thus generates progressiveness for the whole family in this economy.
LEARN HOW TO SOCIALIZE
It is a given that schools are major agents of socialization. One of the things that young people who drop out of school can miss out on is being a part of a group with peers who understand and support them. Not to mention that educators also function as role models and a figure of authority that can keep the attitude and behavior of students in check. With K to 12, they recognize that this is a primary function of learning and they provide more avenues for students to socialize. Without the positive influence of the educational institution, an individual can find himself in difficult situations during their socialization process. Social skills are needed in a work environment and basically, in ensuring that you have the proper disposition to go through life. Going to school is an important part of this process this is what K to 12 aims to foster in the curriculum.
TEACHES RESPECT
School teaches students to recognize authority figures not out of fear but out of respect. This values the discipline that a student nurtures and this will come in handy when they eventually have authority figures in their future jobs. A student who knows how to respect teachers and school personnel will easily adapt to the workplace and in other social aspects of adult life. Knowing respect and discipline by heart is vital in becoming successful as working adults or even when planning to form a healthy household.
MASTER BASIC SKILLS
Basic skills such as reading and writing are the main benefits of K to 12 education. Adults who do not master these skills usually go through a process of learning how to read and write before landing a good job, making the situation even more difficult for them. Acquiring basic math skills is also another benefit of a good education—math skills can help individuals balance their budget, look for the best prices in the market, figure out the best paying jobs or how to file taxes properly. Having a good grasp on these skills all boils down to receiving a solid education and having a strong foundation from it.
ACQUIRE GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
Learning general knowledge is one of the perks that you can get from an education. The knowledge of history, geography, science or literature can be exhilarating, and it can greatly enrich one’s life. All that useful information can have more value than material things because someone who learns can probably feel more fulfilled. This will keep them in the course of their lives with the constant enthusiasm to learn new things which will help in the individual’s progress towards growth. Someone who does not acquire a desire for learning will miss out on discovering the richness of other lifestyles and cultures.
K TO 12 PROVIDES OPTIONS
Getting a K to 12 education can open new doors and increase the chance of finding a stable job. Students can get the opportunity to build a network, acquire more skills, and find the career that they really love. K to 12 can get students the access to all these great opportunities and have a fulfillment during this learning experience. Obtaining a K to 12 diploma will make students more likely to be hired because employers usually assume that someone who completed the K to 12 curriculum has the basic skills necessary for the job, have adequate communication skills, can get along with the rest of the team and follow objectives like they are supposed to.
In conclusion, the many benefits of K to 12 education include basic skills such as being able to read, write, count, communicate, and interact with others. Getting this kind of education not only helps your chances of landing a respectable job—it also helps you in developing the life skills you will need on your journey towards growth. Having a good education, finding a good career, adapting in the workplace, becoming a stable adult, and raising a family; that sounds like the dream, right? School might be overlooked but its importance is unparalleled. As parents or educators, their roles are just as vital as the learning process that students get from the four walls of a classroom, their job is to help the young people understand the importance of their lifestyle in school.
This is why you should find the most reliable educational institution that not only gives your children the highest quality of education but equips them with the values which are essential for making it in the real world as well.
Enderun and K to 12: Education Meets Professionalism
With the many benefits of K to 12, you would want a great partner in order to reap every inch of advantage that the education system can give. Enderun Colleges is the prime international college in Manila for the young mind.
Our school is built on global competence as a foundation. We believe that making it in the professional world is attributed to having the best educational journey towards that endpoint as well as having a constant enthusiasm to learn.
Learning is all about the stream of knowledge that students need to always be ready for. Here at Enderun Colleges, we understand the value of your children’s future and how to nurture it with learning. Interested to know more? Click here!
