K-12 CURRICULUM IN THE

PHILIPPINES

“Education is the key to the long-term problems of the country. If we fix basic education, we fix the long-term problems of the country. And if we fix the country’s problems, we will build a truly strong society. . .”

-Pres. Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III

The K to 12 Program

The K to 12 Program covers kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (six years of primary education, four years of junior high school, and two years of senior high school [SHS]) to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship.

K-6-4-2 System

2 years

4 years

6 years

1 year

• Senior High School

• Junior High School

• Elementary

• Kindergarten

Key Features of K to 12

• Enhancement of the basic education curriculum is the central focus of K to 12.

• The enhanced curriculum will offer areas of specialization or electives such as science and technology, arts, sports, journalism, tech-voc, foreign language, entreperneurship, and subjects for advanced placement.

New Features of the K-12 Basic Education Curriculum

• Vertical continuum and horizontal articulation of competencies

• Mother Tongue as a learning area and medium of instruction

• Spiral progression in Science and Math

• MAPEH (Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health) begins in Grade 1

Learning Areas for Grades 1 to 1o

• Mother Tongue 1-3 English 1(2nd sem)-6 Filipino 1-6 Mathematics 1-6 Araling Panlipunan 1-6 Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao 1-6 Science 3-6 MAPEH 1-6 EPP 4-5 TLE 6

Grades 1 to 6 Grades 7 -10

Learning Areas Grade Levels

Grades 7-12

Core Curriculum and Career Paths

PremisesFilipino learners, in order to be globally

competitive, need to develop 21st century core skills( digital age literacy, inventive thinking, effective communication, and high productivity) and be functionally literate.

Aside from the development of 21st century core skills, the extended high school program should be packaged for the preparation of students for career and higher education. This is because secondary education is designed primarily to provide the transition from school to work and from school to further learning.

Premises• The curriculum shall be designed

to provide a blended career and college preparatory program. Putting the two on the same level and blending them will enhance the seamless relationship between career and higher education and give them equal social and economic value.

Academic Specialization:

Engineering/ Journalism/Foreign

Language

Tech-Voc Specialization

Sports/Arts Specialization

MODEL 2Junior/Senior HS

Curriculum

• Core Academic Areas (5)Grades 11-12

• Core Academic Areas(8) include TLE (choice of Agri-Fishery, Industrial Arts, HE or ICT)

Grade 10

• Core Academic Areas (8) include TLE (choice of Agri-Fishery, Industrial Arts, HE or ICT)

Grade 9

• Core Academic Areas (8) include TLE (choice of Agri-Fishery, Industrial Arts, HE or ICT)

Grade 8

• Core Academic Areas (8) include TLE (choice of Agri-Fishery, Industrial Arts, HE or ICT)

Grade 7

Senior High School benefits different students in different ways.

Students who finish high

school then work• Better income opportunities; higher income streams• Cost due to delayed employment offset by higher income streams

Students who complete 2 years

of college or post-secondary

• Reduction in cost of schooling with additional 2 years of “free” education

Students who complete college• Reduction in college years offsets additional years of schooling• Higher productivity (about 9% income premium)• Higher college completion rates

Completion of K to 12 education shall be compulsory for those who will go to college/university.

• A full 12 years of basic education will be required for entry into tertiary level education by SY 2018-2019.

Vision

Graduates of K to 12 Basic Education Program are envisaged to be better prepared for life as they are expected to

• possess sufficient mastery of 21st century core skills;

• be emotionally developed and competent to live a meaningful life;

• be socially aware, pro-active and involved in public and civic affairs;

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE K-12 PROGRAM

- The implementation of the K-12 program is "phased". The first phase of the implementation started on SY 2012-2013. During this school year, universal kindergarten will be finally offered, and will now be a part of the compulsory education system; and a new curriculum for Grade 1 and Grade 7 students would be introduced. By SY 2016-2017, Grade 11/Year 5 will be introduced, and Grade 12/Year 6 by SY 2017-2018; with the phased implementation of the new curriculum finished by the SY 2017-2018. Students in 2nd year to 4th year high school this SY 2012-2013 are not included in the program. It is only applicable to students from Kinder to 1st year high school which is now called Grade 7.

Salient Features of K12

1. Universal Kindergarten EducationKindergarten has now been integrated

into the basic education system to ensure that all grade 1 students are ready for academic learning. Universal kindergarten started in SY 2011–2012 with a budget of P2.3 billion and was made mandatory starting SY 2012–2013 through the signing of Republic Act No. 10157 entitled “An Act Institutionalizing the Kindergarten Education into the Basic Education System and Appropriating Funds Therefor” on January 20, 2012.

2. Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education.

The mother tongue will be the medium of instruction from kindergarten to grade 3. This includes the following: Tagalog, Kapampangan, Pangasinense, Iloko, Bikol, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Tausug, Maguindanaoan, Maranao, and Chabacano. Medium of instruction will be English and Filipino starting grade 4.

3. Core Academic Areas.The core academic areas include

Math; Filipino; English; Araling Panlipunan; Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao; and Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health (MAPEH). These are based on the College Readiness Standards of the Commission on Higher Education and are equivalent to the courses offered under the General Education Curriculum of Higher Education Institutions.

Science will be taught in grade 3, but its concepts will be integrated in other subjects like Health (under MAPEH), Math, and Languages in grades 1 and 2. Edukasyong Pangtahanan at Pangkabuhayan will be taught starting in grade 4. Technology and Livelihood Education and technical–vocational specializations, consistent with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority training regulations, will start in grade 7.

4. Specializations.The additional two years (grades 11 and

12) or SHS will allow students to choose among academic, technical–vocational, or sports and arts tracks depending on their interest, the community needs, and the results of their skills assessment. The SHS will allow mastery of core competencies for lifelong learning and preparedness for work, higher education, middle-level skills development, or entrepreneurship.

B.   Implementation and Transition ManagementProgram implementation will be in phases starting

this June for SY 2012–2013. Grade 1 entrants in SY 2012–2013 will be the first batch to fully undergo the program, and incoming first-year high school students (or grade 7) in SY 2012–2013 will be the first to undergo the junior high school curriculum. To prepare teachers for the new curriculum, a nationwide summer training program for about 140,000 grades 1 and 7 public school teachers will be held in May. The Department of Education (DepEd) is also working with various private school associations to cover teachers in private schools. To facilitate the transition from the existing ten-year basic education to 12 years, the DepEd will also implement the SHS Readiness Assessment and K to 12 Modeling.

D.   Ensuring Sustainability of the ProgramEnhancing the basic education curriculum and increasing the number of years for basic education was adopted as a Common Legislative Agenda during the February 28, 2011 Legislative–Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting. The administration-supported bills that aim to increase the number of years for basic education are Senate Bill 2713 (Recto), House Bill (HB) 4219 (Belmonte), and HB 4199 (Escudero). These bills are pending at the Committee Level.

Benefits of K to 12 to Individuals and Families

• An enhanced curriculum will decongest academic workload, giving students more time to master competencies and time for extra-curricular activities, thus, allowing for their more holistic development.

• Graduates will possess competencies and skills relevant to the job market.

• Graduates will be better prepared for higher education.

Benefits of K to 12 to Individuals and Families

• Graduates will be able to earn higher wages and/or better prepared to start their own business. Studies in the Philippines have shown that an additional year of schooling increases earnings by 7.5%.

• Filipino graduates could be recognized abroad.

Benefits of K to 12 to Society and the Economy

• K to 12 will contribute to economic growth. Several studies have shown that the improvements in the quality of education will increase GDP growth by as much as 2%.

• A better educated society provides a sound foundation for long-term socio-economic development.

Who will cover the cost of the additional two years in high school?

• Free for those in public schools• Subsidized by the Government for

those in the ESC program

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to

change the world.

“Nelson Mandela”