Name: Jenny Rose Sumagaysay

Date of Submission: August 26,2013

Article Source: http://mlephil.wordpress.com/2010/10/14/pros-cons-of-the-k12-debate/

Reaction: Problems encountered in K to 12 (Article 1)

Everybody agrees that big reforms are necessary to reverse the decline of

Philippine education. The Philippine educational system pursues the achievement of

excellent undergraduates in the elementary and secondary level. At present, the

Department of Education pronounces the addition of two more years in the basic

education of students, which according to them will benefit not only the Filipino

youth but all the Filipinos in the Philippines.

This proposal is part of P-noy's Educational Reform Program. The

administration asserts that with the implementation of such program, the

problem of unemployment in the country will be resolved. In as much as

employment in the Philippines is concerned, the K12 education also responds

to the fact that most countries in the world already have the same plan in

their educational institutions. With this, the standards of these countries go a

notch higher than what the country has, thus, creating an expansion in the

global competency. What can be really said about this plan?

While the reaction of the public is divided, where some are in favor and

some are not, here are several issues that I point out to the aggression of

opposing groups especially the parents to this program. One of the main

problems in the Philippines which the government needs to resolve is the

lack of school and classrooms in the different parts of the country. It is

important that students stay in a place that is conducive for study while they

are away from home. In addition, with teachers go abroad to teach, or do

another job, there is already a shortage of educators in schools that mold the

minds of learners. And this deficiency has become a problem for the country

in the past several years. Finally, there is a need for students to utilize the

appropriate instructional materials and school equipment for them to learn

and gain the necessary knowledge in school. This lack of accessibility in

books and other school supplies clearly manifest the scarcity in the public

schools in the country.

There is nothing wrong in aiming the other fraction of a horizon, and

that is what the government attempts to accomplish. It is in fact an

indication that to aspire for something higher, one must carry out certain

actions to achieve the goal. However, the administration also ought to

realize and clearly understand what the educational system in the Philippines

needs to develop primarily. The mentioned issues above are only a few

elements that entailed to be resolved. At some point, the Philippines cannot

go ahead unless the concerns are faced and the difficulties are completely

solved. There are a lot to be done to improve the competency of the youth.

The government does not need to gaze from afar.

Name: Jenny Rose Sumagaysay

Date of Submission: August 26,2013

Article Source: http://philbasiceducation.blogspot.com/2012/06/problem-with-aquinos-k-to-12-program.html

Reaction: Problems encountered in K to 12 (Article 2)

The short school cycle is blamed for the poor learning skills of students in the

Philippines. Admittedly, it is a factor that affects the quality of schooling. But it is

wrong to assert that it is the principal reason for the underperformance of schools

and students. What about availability of learning resources, adequate teacher

preparation, appropriate school facilities and other essential elements in raising the

quality of education? In short, lengthening the school cycle or decongesting the

curriculum would be rendered meaningless if the school setting is still not conducive

to learning.

K-12 proponents argue that it’s the standard in most countries and that the

Philippines need it catch up with its neighbors if it wants to be more competitive in

the global market. Indeed, K-12 is already the global norm but it doesn’t mean that

the Philippines has to blindly copy the model. In fact, its premature and mechanical

implementation might even worsen the crisis of education in the country. Based on

the experience of developed nations, K-12 succeeded if it’s implemented under an

efficient education system. Therefore, what the Philippines should prioritize is the

building of modern school facilities throughout the country. Address the basic

problems of schools, plug the loopholes in the bureaucracy and then let’s consider

the to adopt K-12.

K-12 will certainly affect millions of innocent lives and what’s at stake here

should not be trivialized because it involves the future of an entire generation. But

Aquino is ready to risk the future of the youth by agreeing to the launch of the ill-

prepared K-12 program this school year. Why conduct an education experiment that

may cause harm in the lives of millions? Why the rush? What’s so special with the

year 2016? The great potential of education reforms must not be torpedoed by the

narrow objectives of electoral politics.

Education is society’s ‘great equalizer’ but it remains a distant goal in the

Philippines where more than half of students who entered Grade One are still

unable to finish high school. The problem is not only the short number of school

years; the bigger problem is the high drop-out rate in all levels of schooling. The

challenge then is to mainstream the out-of-school youth into the formal schooling

system. But by adding two more years in the school cycle, K-12 will only succeed in

producing more school drop-outs and a new underclass of school rejects. K-12 will

finally institutionalize the reactionary fantasy of preventing the rise of college

‘educated proletariat’. In other words, K-12 will worsen inequality in society.

K-12 serves as a reminder that education must not be left in the hands of

technocrats, bureaucrats, and policymakers who are often divorced from the

realities of everyday life. K-12 should lead to more public discussion and debate

about the establishment of an education system that is truly responsive to the

aspirations of the greatest number of Filipinos. Hopefully, it would inspire us to

continue the struggle not just for meaningful education reforms but also for political

initiatives that would lead to the rise of political leaders and champions who

understand the role of a nationalist, scientific, and mass-oriented type of education

in improving the lives of Filipinos.