A POSITION PAPER

K-12 CURRICULUM AND ITS IMPLICATION TO THE K-12 GRADUATES

Prepared by:
CHELSI LUMELLA P. DANTE
PTCP-Palma

Submitted to:
MA. HELENA V. ALUMBRES, PhD
Professor
 K-12 CURRICULUM AND ITS IMPLICATION TO K12 GRADUATES

The Philippines fully implemented in school year 2016-2017 the K to 12

program, a reform initiative that lengthens the total number of basic education years
from ten to 12. It was a reform that was met with some opposition by parents and
teachers alike but was carried out smoothly and according to schedule, despite
change in government administration. In the last two years of basic education termed
as senior high, students choose one of four learning tracks as specialization, with the
Academic Track as preparatory for university. The three other tracks, particularly the
Technical-Vocational-Livelihood, focus on skills and talent development and target
gainful employment or entrepreneurship for students without the need for a university
degree.
Countries in Asia and the Pacific have seen many education reforms unfolding.
Philippines’ own reform initiative was made against an analysis of similar reform
initiatives in the same countries, such as Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam to learn from
these countries about their best practices and areas of improvement (SEAMEO,
2012). These education reforms were usually induced by economic or political
changes. Tiongson (2005) referred to education reforms as selected interventions
driven towards certain opportunities. Many resort to education reforms owing to proven
economic benefits. There is a growing number of literature though that suggests
budget allocation to be made more for lower than higher educational levels (Tiongson,
2005), what could be a recognition for more investment towards basic education and
vocational and technical skills development.
But as countries in Asia and the Pacific improve their educational landscapes
and compete with Western counterparts in international rankings, not all educational
reforms have proven effective. Tilak (2003) lamented poor staffing, deteriorating
facilities, and decreasing budgetary appropriations for education as among those that
hinder the success of education reforms. What Tilak discussed in his paper somehow
mirror the same sentiments made by those who opposed the K to 12 reform. Problems
such as insufficiency of classrooms, lack of teachers, requirement of capacity-building
and retooling, and the additional financial pressure on parents were among those
floated by those, including teachers, who expressed concern over the K to 12 reform
initiative. But part of the blueprint of the Philippine government in the implementation
of the reform are those two components of infrastructure development and capacity-
building for teachers.
Part of the curriculum of K12 program of Department of Education is to allow
Grade 12 senior high school students to undergo work immersion which is designed
to practice in the field the knowledge and skills they have learned at school. This also
prepares the students on the career path that they would pursue in the years ahead
as aligned with the specialization they have undertaken. However, from the reviewed
related literatures, one study revealed that senior high school graduates are not yet
ready for employment. Most employers are still hesitant to hire them because they still
lack competence towards their work.
SEAMEO-INNOTECH on 2013 undertook a monitoring study to document the
developments on the first year of implementation of the Senior High School (SHS)
Modelling in selected SHS model schools in the country. The interviews with the seven
SHS model schools revealed that they have encountered a number of challenges and
potentials with respect to guidelines or policies, resources and LGU and parental
support, awareness, and linkages.
On resources, the schools encountered problems on transportation expenses
of students who are undergoing their work immersion programs, accommodation
expenses of students who need to stay near their workplaces for their job immersion
purposes and cost of insurance premium for SHS students who are undergoing their
work immersion programs. Another problem is with respect to linkages was on the
possible mismatch between specialization and labor demand.
Acar identified major weak points on work immersion, to wit: desired
competencies to be evaluated; budget and materials for the Immersion and lack of
information on process and required forms. The partner Industry input should be taken
into considerations: increasing the 80-hour time for academic strand immersion;
required prior skills should be taught in the school; the expected learned competencies
should be clear and specified.
Asian foundation identified issues and problems in the early stages of SHS,
which stressed there was not a great focus on how its graduates could connect to
industries’ needs for skilled workers. The lack of participation of businesses and
industries proved to be a major gap in developing a responsive and appropriate
curriculum, including work immersion. Another stumbling block was the lack of
appropriate DepEd and DOLE policies and rules to govern the work immersion
program, given the possible risks to both students and employers. Immersion may
expose students of minor age to safety and health hazards and businesses could face
legal concerns, potential workflow interruption, and productivity loss.
One research delved on the reform’s implication on the massification of higher
education through a survey questionnaire administered among officials of seven
Philippine private universities. Does the reform encourage enrollment into university,
especially students from low-income households? The research found out additional
costs due to a longer educational cycle and the practicality of gainful employment over
enrolling in university as two common factors that can hinder movement into university,
diminish the value of a university degree, and affect the sustainability of university
operations.
Therefore, the recent implementation of enhanced basic education curriculum,
otherwise known as K12 program of the government had brought both advantages
and disadvantages on all sectors in the community. Its humble beginning had suffered
painful undertaking in spite of its pursuit to achieve quality education. At first, Filipinos
had been adamant on the plight of this new education system claiming that it would
only add to their burden insofar as educational expenses is concerned. However, the
government is certain that K12 would ease the burden of every Filipino since this
opens more opportunities for learners to develop their talents, skills and capabilities
and for them to be productive citizens in the future. Now is not yet the right to judge
whether implementation of K12 program is effective or not. What else we could do
currently is to participate in the program implementation for it to have a positive impact
among its graduates.
 REFERENCE

Acar, Bryant C. (2019) Immersion Program for Academic Track and the Higher
Education Tracer Profile of the First Batch Graduates, International Journal of
Innovation and Research in Educational Sciences, Volume 6, Issue 2, retrieved
from
https://ijires.org/administrator/components/com_jresearch/files/publications/IJI
RES_1501_FINAL.pdf

Asian Foundation (March, 2018) Work Immersion: Real World Experience at High
School, CFC Reform Story No. 8, retrieved from https://asiafoundation.org/wp-
content/uploads/2018/10/CfC-Reform-Story-8-Work-Immersion-Real-World-
Experience.pdf

Markraygan (2017) How does the K+12 education reform impact Philippine higher
education? https://smarkbites.wordpress.com/2017/09/12/how-does-the-k12-
education-reform-impact-philippine-higher-education/

SEAMEO-INNOTECH (2013) Monitoring of the Philippine Department of Education’s

Model Senior High School Program, SEAMEO-INNOTECH Research Updates,
retrieved fromhttp://www.seameo-innotech.org/wp-
content/uploads/2016/07/Research_Updates-SHS_Modelling.pdf