AklanCatholc College

Kalibo, Aklan

GRADUATE SCHOOL
EDUC 221- CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
May Z. Nidua
Maatubang
Reporter
I.

Dr.ProfetizaIquiaProfessor

Introduction
Education equips an individual with the necessary knowledge and skills he/she needs to
become a functional member of a society. According to the World Bank, education can also be
one of the strongest instruments for reducing poverty, thereupon improving the well-being of
the people. However, to establish and maintain a high-quality education system, proper
investments must be made.
In the Philippine context, education remains a top priority. Despite the various
development plans and projects formulated by the government and different sectors, the
quality of Philippine education still leaves much room for improvement.
As part of the efforts of the present administration to respond to the perceived needs of
the education sector, the Department of Education (DepEd) had pushed for the
implementation of the Enhanced K to 12 Basic Education Program.
II. Body

What is K to 12 Program?
The K to 12 Program covers 13 years of basic education with the following key stages:
Kindergarten to Grade 3
Grades 4 to 6
Grades 7 to 10 (Junior High School)
Grades 11 and 12 (Senior High School)
Why are we now implementing 12 years of basic education?
The Philippines is the last country in Asia and one of only three countries worldwide
with a 10-year pre-university cycle (Abgola and Djibouti are the other two).
A 12-year program is found to be the best period for learning under basic education. It
is also the recognized standard for students and professionals globally.
What has been done to get ready for K to 12? Are we really ready for K ton 12?
SY 2011-2012: Universal Kindergarten implementation begins
SY 2012-2013: Enhanced curriculum for Grade 1-7 implemented
2013: K to 12 enacted into Law
2014: Curriculum for Grades 11-12 finished
This 2015, we are getting ready for the implementation for Senior High School (SHS)
in SY 2016-2017.
We are on the fifth year of the implementation of the K to 12 Program. Our last mile
is the Senior High School. All 220 divisions of the Department of Education (DepED) have
finished planning and have figures on enrolment a year in advance. These plans were
reviewed by a separate team and finalized upon consultation with other stakeholders.
How will the current curriculum be affected by K to 12? What subjects will be
added and removed?
The current curriculum has been enhanced for K to 12 and now gives more focus to
allow mastery learning.
For the new Senior High School grades (Grades 11 and 12), core subjects such as
Mathematics, Science and Language will be strengthened. Specializations or tracks in
students areas of interest will also be offered.
Changes to specific subjects are detailed in the K to 12 Curriculum Guides.
What is Senior High School?
Senior High School (SHS) covers the last two years of the K to 12 program and includes
Grades 11 and 12. SHS students will go through a core curriculum and subjects under a
track of their choice.

These two additional years will equip learners with skills that will better prepare them
for the future, whether it be: Employment, Entrepreneurship, Skills Development
(Further Tech-Voc training), Higher Education (College).
How will students choose their Senior High School specializations?
Students will undergo assessments to determine their strengths and interests. These
will include an aptitude test, a career assessment exam, and an occupational interest
inventory for high schools. Career advocacy activities will also be conducted to help
guide students in choosing their specialization or track.
How will student specializations/tracks be distributed across Senior High Schools?
Specializations or tracks to be offered will be distributed according to the resources
available in the area, the needs and interest of most students, and the opportunities
and demands of the community.
Will SHS ensure employment?
SHS Cannot guarantee employment; but it creates the following opportunities:
Standard requirements will applied to make sure graduates know enough to be hirable.
Apply for TESDA Certificates of Competency (COCs) and National Certificates (NCs) to
provide better work opportunities.
Partnerships with different companies will be offered for technical and vocational
courses.
Work experience while studying; and companies can even hire students after graduate.
What will students learn in SHS that the current high school curriculum doesnt
include?
Senior High School covers eight learning areas as part of its core curriculum, and adds
specific tracks (similar to college courses) based on four disciplines:
Academic (which includes Business, Science & Engineering, Humanities & Social
Science and a General Academic strand)
Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (with highly specialized subjects with TESDA
qualifications)
Sports
Arts & Design
SHS students may pick a track based on how he or she will want to proceed after high school
graduation.
Where will Senior High School be implemented?
Existing public and private schools, including colleges, universities and technical
institutions may offer Senior High School.
There may also be stand-alone Senior High Schools established by DepEd or private
organizations.
Can a private school offer Senior High School before SY 2016-2017?
Private schools may offer Grade 11 as early as SY 2015-2016 to interested students.
However, Senior High School before 2016-2017 is voluntary for both schools and
students, and there will be no funding assistance from the government to private
Senior High School SY 2016-2017.
Which private institutions are allowed to offer Senior High School?
All schools and organizations must first apply for a permit from DepEd. Different
institutions may also partner with each other and apply for SHS as a group.
Temporary permits will be issued by DepEd for those who meet the requirements for
the Senior High School Program.
There are 334 private schools with SHS permits beginning in SY 2014 or 2015. Last
March 31, 2015, provisional permits have been issued to 1,122 private schools that will
offer Senior High School in 2016.
Will the additional two years of High School mean additional expenses?
Senior High School completes basic education by making sure that the high school
graduate is equipped for work, entrepreneurship or higher education. This is a step up
from the 10-year cycle where high school graduates still need further education (and
expenses) to be ready for the world.
SHS will be offered in public schools and there will be a voucher program in place for
public junior high school completers as well as ESC beneficiaries of private high schools
should they choose to take SHS in private institutions.
This means that the burden of expenses for the additional two years need not to be
completely shouldered by parents.
What is the Voucher Program?

This program enables Grade 10 completers from public and private Junior High School
(JHS) to enroll in a (1) private high school, (2) private university or college, (3) state or
local university or college, or (4) technical-vocational school, which will offer the Senior
High School program starting School Year 2016-2017.
Through the Voucher Program, students and their families are able to exercise greater
choice in deciding the Senior High School program that is most relevant to their needs
and career goals. A certain amount will be subsidized by DepEd to private SHS to offset
the cost of tuition.
What are the advantages of the Voucher Program?
For Students
The voucher program can provide high-quality education for all types of students. Even
those who normally do not have the financial means will be able to choose from
different schools. They will not be limited to the schools that re provided by the DepEd.
For Private Schools
Private schools with SHS will be able to tap into an expanded marketstudents from
public junior high schools

How will SHS affect teachers? Will they lose their job?
No high school teachers will be displaced
The DepEd is in constant coordination with CHED and DOLE on the actual number of
affected faculty from private higher education institutions (HEIs). The worst-case
scenario is that 39,000 HEI faculty will lose their jobs over 5 years. This will only
happen if none of the HEIs will put up their own Senior High Schools, which is since we
are currently processing over 1,000 SHS applications from private institutions.
DepEd is also hiring more than 30,000 new teachers in 2016 alone. The Department
will prioritize affected faculty who will aplly as teachers or administrators in our SHS.
III. Conclusion
Critics presented valid concerns regarding the K to 12 program. The government must
therefore continue to address such concerns to further develop the model. Though the
program is ready to take off this year, continuous monitoring, evaluation, and program
enhancement must be ensured.
And foremost, it must be made clear that a longer education cycle alone could be useless
without corresponding improvements in other aspects of the education system. Proper
training of teachers, additional classrooms and textbooks, better facilities such as libraries
and computer rooms must therefore be deemed as urgent as the implementation of this
program.