What is K to 12?

K to 12 simply means Kindergarten to Grade 12. Before the K to 12 program, the Philippines is
implementing a 10-year basic education system with six years of elementary education and four
years of high school education. In the new K to 12 program of the Department of Education, there
will be a mandatoryKindergarten, six years of elementary education, four years of junior high
school, and two years of senior high school.
In a nutshell, the K to 12 basic education program is a decongested education system with a
learner-centered curriculum producing globally competitive graduates.

Five Key Benefits of the K to 12 Basic Education Program

1. It will produce globally competitive graduates

The K to 12 program answers the need for a 12-year education system which is at par with
international standards such as the Washington Accord and theBologna Accord. Graduates of the K
to 12 program will be perceived with increased competency and have better global opportunities.
2. Students will learn more easily
The improved basic education curriculum is decongested and focused. Students will have more
time learning core academic areas thus ensuring better comprehension. Also, pupils from Grade 3
and below will be thought in their mother tongue to ensure better understanding of basic concepts.
3. Students will be free to pursue their passion
The new curriculum will be learner-centered. Students will be allowed to choose elective subjects
and specializations which they really want. The students will love learning more and will grow to
their full potential. Whether the students want to be professionals, businessmen, artists or athletes,
theirs skills and talents will be honed and nurtured.
4. There will be savings on college tuition fees
Grade 11 and 12 takes the form of a two-year college education. In a public school, this is tuitionfree. In effect, the number of year of college courses will decrease because of redundancies. Those
who will pursue college will have fewer years to pay for. Graduates will also receive training
certifications, which reduces the need to study a vocational course.
5. It will reduce unemployment rate and improve the economy
With the increased competence and workmanship due to TESDA-like training and college-like
education included in the new curriculum, the graduates will become highly employable, reducing
the rate of unemployment in the Philippines. Those who are passionate about starting businesses
will be enabled to open more job opportunities.

The K to 12 basic education program aims not only to produce better graduates but also to
improve the quality of life of the country as a whole. What is asked from us as Filipino citizens is
that we support the program in whatever ways we can, share the information to others and, most of
all, believe in the success of this program.
A recent change in the Philippines educational system was implemented starting in 2011. President
Aquino signed the K 12 education into law in 2013, adding three years to the countrys basic
education curriculum.
The new K 12 curriculum guide requires all Filipino students to have one year of kindergarten, six
years of elementary schooling (grades 1 to 6), four years of junior high school (grades 7 to 10), and
two years of senior high school (grades 11 to 12).
The rationale
Prior to the implementation of the K 12 curriculum guide, the Philippines was one of only three
countries in the world and the only one in Asia that still had only 10 years in basic education.
This has always been seen as a disadvantage for our students who are competing in an increasingly
global job market. The longer educational cycle of the K 12 curriculum is seen as critical in giving
Filipino students a higher quality of education.
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The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Innotech (SEAMEO-Innotech) found the
previous 10-year educational cycle to be congested, with a 12-year curriculum squished into 10
years.
As a result, Filipino students have trailed behind students around the world in the areas of math,
languages and science. The new curriculum is aimed to fix that.
The K-12 curriculum is more than just adding years to your child's schooling. Read this article to
know the benefits of a K-12 education in the Philippines.

The K 12 curriculum is designed to provide a holistic education for all Filipino students.
The K 12 curriculum is designed to enable graduates to join the work force right after high school,
and suitably prepare those who want to go on to higher education.
The new curriculum will also support college graduates seeking work abroad. Developed countries,
according to the Department of Educations (DepEd) briefer, view the 10-year education cycle as
insufficient.
All in all, the enhanced K 12 curriculum is designed to provide a holistic education for all. Now
decongested, it will give students ample time to master basic academic skills as well as to
participate in co-curricular and community activities.
What it means for students

The transition began in 2011, when the universal kindergarten was introduced. Starting in 2012,
schools already implemented the curriculum decongestion mentioned in the DepEd briefer.
Public schools began having half-day classes for grade one students, with the mother tongue as the
medium of instruction. Private schools also made adjustments in their own DepEd accredited
curricula.
The adaptation of the K 12 curriculum guide means that students will graduate a bit older
compared to those who graduated under the 10-year education cycle.
Far from being disadvantageous, however, DepEd states that young adults graduating at age 18 or
so will be more prepared to take on their tertiary education.

Remedial classes during the first year of college will no longer be needed, as the high school
curriculum will already be aligned with the Commission on Higher Educations (CHED) guidelines.
The government also encourages parents to think of the K 12 curriculum guide not as having two
extra years of high school, but as two years less of higher education.
Graduates of the new educational system will already be equipped to join the workforce right away
with the help of the electives to be offered during grades 11 to 12.
The electives, or areas of specialization, will include academics for those who wish to pursue higher
studies, technical-vocational for those who want to acquire employable skills after high school, and
sports and arts for those who are inclined in the two fields.
Change is never easy, especially when it is about a big undertaking such as the implementation of
the new K-12 curriculum guide in the Philippines. It is high time, however, that we join the rest of
the world and improve the quality of our basic education system and our graduates.
Critics have always looked on to parents as the primary victims of the K-12 education system. Given
the additional two years in high school, they insist that this program will bring no good and only
additional financial burden for poor Filipino families.
Do you agree with this remark? Do you also worry about the costs of the new education system of
your child? Forget all your economic troubles and take time to know K-12 fully.
Benefits to Enjoy
Twelve years of basic education is an international standard. With the new K-12 program, Filipino
students are at the same league with the rest of the world.
Below are some of the rewards parents can get from the K-12 scheme:
K-12 program in public school is affordable.
Due to subsidies given by the government, the new program offers primary and secondary
education in public schools at no cost. In private schools, DepEd approves and regulates tuition and
other school fees.
K-12 offers a learner-centered curriculum.
With a student-centered curriculum, students will take a more active role in the learning process.
They can choose what they will learn, how they will learn, and how they will evaluate their own
learning. In senior high school, students can select the field they want to master. In addition,

teachers can use the students mother tongue as a medium of instruction during the early years of
their primary education (from Kinder to Grade 3). Not only will this make learning enjoyable and
easy for students; it will also help address parents and families diverse needs, especially those
with special cases and others that come from indigenous groups.
K-12 fosters gainful employment and entrepreneurship.
Unlike the previous education system where parents need to wait until their children graduate from
college or are 18 years old to work, the additional two years in the K-12 program will prepare
students for both employment and entrepreneurship. Graduates of the new system can instantly
get a job after getting certificates and passing TESDAs competency-based assessment. They may
likewise choose to set up their own business or continue further education in college. All these
options will help make every child competent, skilled, and highly employable.
Clearly, the new K-12 system in the Philippines is not just about a stretched curriculum and an
additional financial stress on the parents. It targets and enhances childrens progress and future,
too.
If you want to know more about the K-12 program, do your research and ask questions. Browse
through our pages and read more articles from our site.