The advantages of having K-12 program in our country is that we can be able to
compete globally in terms of job qualifications.The Philippines is the last country in
Asia, and one of only 3 countries (Angola and Djibouti) worldwide, with a 10-year
pre-university cycle.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 th K-12 curriculum is seen as critical in giving Filipino students higher
quality of education.
According to(Abueva 2015)Filipinos are known to be competitive in the
international community. However, our current education system hinders us from
becoming even more competitive.Starting in the 2012-2013 school year
the education system of the Philippines was enhanced from the ten years of basic
education to a 12-year program through an initiative called the K-12 Education Plan
sponsored by the Department of Education.
The implementation of the K-12 plan in the Philippine Basic Education Curriculum is
the key to our nation’s development. Though the government faces many problems
as it implements the program over the course of several years, it is a necessary
improvement since increasing the quality of our education is critical to our nation’s
success.(Abueva 2015)
Why should we take K-12 program instead of staying in the old education
curricullum? According to (K12Program 2015) there are six good reasons why the
Department of Education abandoned the old system and opted for a K-12 curriculum and
these are:
*Only country in Asia with 10 years of basic education – Before implementing K-12, the
Philippines was the last Asian country and one of only three nations in the world with 10
years of basic education. The new system, which follows a global standard, will put
Filipino students at par with the rest of the world.
*Poor quality of education – Students’ low scores in the National Achievement Test (NAT)
and Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMMS) are a reflection of the
current quality of education in the country.
*Too many non-practical subjects – Supported by the findings of the study performed by
SEAMEO INNOTECH, the country’s old curriculum was too congested and lacked
practical application. While students did not get enough instructional time to learn, they
also missed the chance to be prepared for actual professional work.
*Not prepared for college education – Due to lack of practical application, past high
school grads (in the old curriculum) could not qualify to pursue higher education.
