NAAWAN, Misamis Oriental (MindaNews / 19 January) – The K-12 curriculum was adopted, supposedly to improve the quality of education in the country, mimicking the system in some countries in Europe and that of our ASEAN neighbors. Unfortunately, only the addition of two grade rungs, grade 11 and grade 12, otherwise known as the senior high school, features in the K-12 Philippine version. Moreover, a learner would have a total of 14 years for his basic education because kindergarten is made mandatory in the curriculum. Flagrantly absent was the operational strategy of linking the senior high to the private sector or the industries – the apprenticeship, for the mastery of concepts and skills via hands-on knowledge of the kind of job or livelihood opportunities that suits their aptitude and interest. The implementers failed to make apprenticeship an essential component of the K- 12 curriculum. So more years of schooling amounts to nothing.
In advanced countries, a grade 11 learner already begins his apprenticeship and usually receives an allowance from the firm his school has arranged for him. He stays there for another year if he wants to and may even be hired by the firm if he performs well. There is no need then to go to college, unless one is interested in highly specialized courses like medicine, biological science, engineering, and in research oriented courses.[]
Sad to say, so much taxpayers’ money has been incurred in implementing the curriculum. Senior high buildings tower everywhere, but are wanting in appropriate facilities and equipment and adequately trained teachers. Parents have to dig deeper into their pockets for two more years for their kids before they could send them to college, if ever.
The Department of Education (DepEd) had to adopt a senior high school voucher program, a financial assistance to grade 11 – 12 learners, a tuition subsidy to learners enrolled in non-DepEd schools in the amount of P17,500 – 22,500, depending on the location of the schools.[]