K to 12 Basic Education Program

The K to 12 BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM
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DRAFT COPY| As of 12 March 2012
i
(as of March 12, 2012)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
I. The K to 12 Basic Education Program
Background and Rationale 1
Introduction 1
Historical Development of the
Basic Education Program 6
Outcome Goals of the K to 12 Basic
Education Program 8
Process Goals of the K to 12
Education Program 8
II. The K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum 9
Goal 9
The Learning Areas 13
Co-Curricular and Community
Involvement Programs 13
Core Content 14
Distinctive Features and Guiding Principles 15
Structure of the Curriculum 21
Kindergarten 22
Elementary 22
Secondary 23
Alternative Learning System 24
III. Glossary of Terms 29
IV. References 33
V. Committees on K to 12 Curriculum 34

iii
List of Figures
FIGURE PAGE
Figure 1 National Achievement Test Results SY 2005-
2010
1
Figure 2 Trends in International Mathematics and
Science Study (TIMMS) 2003
2
Figure 3 Average of TIMSS Scores, Philippines 2
Figure 4 Typical Progression of a Cohort of Pupils
Based on a Cohort of Grade 1 Pupils from SY
1995-1996 to College Graduates SY 2008-
2009, both Public and Private
3
Figure 5 Unemployed vs. Available Skill-Based Jobs 5
Figure 6 The K to 12 Graduate 10
Figure 7 The K to 12 Philippine Basic Education
Curriculum Framework
12
Figure 8 The Learning Areas of the K to 12
Curriculum
13
Figure 9 Structure of the K to 12 Curriculum 21
Figure 10 K to 12 Curriculum in both Formal
Education and Alternative Learning System
24
Figure 11 Core Learning Areas/Domains from K to 12 25
List of Tables
TABLE PAGE
Table 1 Total Basic Education Cycle of Asian
Countries
4
Table 2 Historical Bases of the Additional Years of
Education, SEAMEO INNOTECH, 2011
4
Table 3 Unemployment Rate in the Philippines,
2010.
5
Table 4 Basic Education Curricular Reforms 6
Table 5 Common Competencies in the Grade 7 and
8 TLE Exploratory Courses and Specialization
in Grade 11 and 12
26
Table 6 Proposed Subjects for Grades 11 and 12 27
Table 7 The Components of the K to 12 Curriculum
at a Glance
28

1
The K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM
I. BACKGROUND and RATIONALE
Introduction
The K to 12 Basic Education Program is the flagship program of the
Department of Education in its desire to offer a curriculum which is
attuned to the 21st
century. This is in pursuance of the reform
thrusts of the Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda, a package of
policy reforms that seeks to systematically improve critical
regulatory, institutional, structural, financial, cultural, physical and
informational conditions affecting basic education provision, access
and delivery on the ground. The Department seeks to create a
basic education sector that is capable of attaining the country’s
Education for All objectives and the Millennium Development Goals
by the year 2015 and President Benigno Aquino III’s ten-point basic
education agenda by 2016. These policy reforms are expected to
introduce critical changes necessary to further accelerate, broaden,
deepen and sustain the Department’s effort in improving the quality
of basic education.
The challenges of the Department are great but are not
insurmountable. Education outcomes in terms of achievement,
participation and completion rates point to the urgent need to
improve the quality of basic education in the country. The National
Achievement Test results for SY 2005-2010 show that many
students who finished basic education do not possess sufficient
mastery of basic competencies. (See Figure 1)
Figure 1. National Achievement Test Results, SY 2005-2010
Students’ performance in international tests such as the Trends in
International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is as dismal.
In Grade IV Math and Science, TIMSS, 2003, the Philippines
ranked 23rd in performance out of 25 countries. For high school
Math, the Philippines ranked 34th
out of 38 countries. In high school
Science, it ranked 43rd
out of 46 participating countries.1
In TIMMS,
2008 for Advanced Math, the Philippines ranked 10th
out of 10
1
National Center for Education Statistics. Highlights from the Trends in International
Mathematics and Science Study 2003.December 2004

2
countries, even with only the science high schools participating.2
(See Figures 2 and 3)
Figure 2. Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study
(TIMMS) 2003
2
I.V.S. Mullis, M.O. Martin, D.F. Robitaille, & P. Foy, (2009). Chestnut Hill, MA. Trends in
International Mathematics and Science Advanced 2008.
Figure 3. Average of TIMSS Scores, Philippines
Another major challenge of the Department of Education is retaining
those in school, particularly those at risk of falling out of the system.
Those who are at risk of dropping out are those who encounter
difficult circumstances in life – poverty, cases of teenage
pregnancies, student laborers, children whose parents were poorly
schooled, slum dwellers, families who live in areas with peace and
order problems and learners with various forms of disabilities .
Figure 4 shows that of the 100 students who enrolled in Grade 1,
only 65 students reached First Year high school and 46 of which

3
graduated HS. Of these 46 HS Graduates, only 20 reached college
level and 16 earned college degrees.
Figure 4.Typical Progression of a Cohort of Pupils Based on a
Cohort of Grade 1 Pupils from SY 1995-1996 to College Graduates
SY 2008-2009, both Public and Private
The sad state of basic education in the country can be partly
attributed to the congested basic education curriculum. The basic
education curriculum is meant to be taught in twelve (12) years, yet
it is delivered in ten (10) years. The research findings of the
comparative study of the curricula of Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia,
Singapore and the Philippines conducted by SEAMEO INNOTECH,
affirmed that indeed the Philippine basic education curriculum is
congested, especially the Mathematics, Language and Science
subjects. The relatively weak performance of Filipino students in
Mathematics and Science in the TIMMS signifies that the
Philippines must catch up with the rest of the world.
Besides, trade liberalization, the growing global market,
international agreements such as the Bologna and Washington
Accords have kept countries focused on the comparability of
educational degrees. Filipino graduates need to develop a
competitive advantage over others in the ASEAN region and in the
world. Unfortunately, the 10-year basic education system handicaps
overseas Filipino professionals competing in the world market. The
Bologna Process3
requires 12 years of education for university
admission and practice of profession in European countries. On
account of the Bologna Process4
, starting 2010, undergraduate
degrees in the Philippines are no longer recognized in most
European countries. The Washington Accord5
prescribes a
minimum of 12 years of basic education as an entry to recognition
of engineering professionals. Obviously, the short basic education
cycle is a deterrent in pursuing recent initiatives like the APEC and
ASEAN mutual recognition projects. APEC or Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation is an international forum of 21 member
economies that acts collectively to advance their common interests.
APEC is committed to a policy of reducing barriers to trade and of
being a vehicle for promoting economic cooperation within the Asia-
Pacific Region. (Source: SEAMEO INNOTECH Study)
3
Batomalaque, Antonio. Basic Science Development Program of the Philippines for
International Cooperation. University of San Carlos.; Marinas, Bella and Ditapat, Maria.
Philippines: Curriculum and Development. UNESCO International Bureau of Education
4
Batomalaque, Antonio. Basic Science Development Program of the Philippines for
International Cooperation. University of San Carlos.; Marinas, Bella and Ditapat, Maria.
Philippines: Curriculum and Development. UNESCO International Bureau of Education
5
International Engineering Alliance. The Washington Accord.
http://www.washingtonaccord.org/Washington-Accord/FAQ.cfm (Accessed 11 September
2010)

4
The Philippines is the last country in Asia and one of only three
countries in the world (the other two being Djibouti and Angola of
Africa) with a 10-year pre-university program. (Refer to Table 1)
Until the 1930s, the Philippines actually had 11 years of basic
education: seven years of primary and four years of secondary
schooling. The Commonwealth government even then, did not feel
that 11 years provided adequate preparation for tertiary education
or the work place. It decided to reduce the primary cycle to six
years, which was duly done, and added two years to high school,
which did not happen (de Jesus, Edilberto. Philippine Daily Inquirer,
01/08/2010).
In 1949, the proposal to expand basic education was revived.6
Since then the call for extension of the Philippine basic education
duration persisted as presented in Table 2.
The poor quality of basic education as reflected in the inadequate
preparation of high school graduates for the world of work
contributes to the relatively high unemployment rate among the
young and the educated. See Table 3.
6
Esther Care and Ethel Valenzuela, Analysis of Basic Education of the
Philippines:Implications for the K to 12 Education Program, Jan. 2012.
Country
Total Basic
Education Cycle
Total Duration of
Pre- University
Education
Brunei 11/12 13/15
Cambodia 12 13
Indonesia 12 13
Lao PDR 12 14
Malaysia 12 14/15
Myanmar 11 12
Philippines 10 10
Singapore 11 12/14
Thailand 12 12
Timor-Leste 12 12
Vietnam 12 14/15
Source: SEAMEO-INNOTECH, 2011
Year Source Recommendation
1949
UNESCO Mission
Survey
Restore Grade VII in primary education
1953 Education Act
Revise the Primary school system by adding one year
(Grade VII)
1960 Swanson Survey Restore grade 7 in Primary education
1970 PCSPE
Extend secondary education by one year to better prepare
students who have no plans to take up university education
1991 EDCOM Report
Retain the 10-year basic education phase while
institutionalizing career counseling in Primary and
secondary schools in preparation for higher education
1998
Philippines
Education Sector
Study (World Bank
and ADB)
Prioritize student learning through curricular reforms, the
provision of textbooks, the use of the vernacular in lower
Primary grades, and the institution of a longer basic
education cycle
2000 PCER
Implement a compulsory one-year pre-baccalaureate stage
as prerequisite for students interested in enrolling in higher
education degree programs
2006
Philippine EFA 2015
National Action Plan
Lengthen the educational cycle by adding two years to
formal basic education (one each for Primary and high
school)
2008
Presidential Task
Force on Education
Extend pre-university education to a total of 12 years,
benchmarking the content of the eleventh and twelfth years
with international programs
Compul
ory
Learning
Areas
sted in enrolling in higher education degree programs
2006
Philippine EFA 20
career paths/ choices
Exploratory Courses
for Academic Specialization
• Journalism
• Mother Tongue
• & Foreign Languages
VI. Technical- Vocational Languages
VII. Math for Specific
Purposes
• Life Sciences/
Physical Sciences
• Literature
• Contemporary Issues
(local and global)
• Career Pathways
- Entrepreneurship
-Tech Voc
- Academic
Table 1. Total Basic Education Cycle of Asian Countries
Table 2. Historical Bases of the Additional Years of Education,
SEAMEO INNOTECH, 2011

5
Table 3 shows that of the total unemployed in 2010, 80.6% are
between the ages 15 to 34 years, with 51.5% from the 15-24 years
old sub-group. Aside from being young, most of the unemployed
are at least high school graduates. Figure 5 also shows that there is
huge number of skills-based jobs available (650,000++) and also a
huge number of unemployed high school graduates (972,458). This
implies a mismatch between graduates’ skills and job demands.
Table 3. Unemployment Rate in the Philippines, 2010.
Figure 5. Unemployed vs. Available Skill-Based Jobs
(Source: NSO, 2009 and 2010)

6
Historical Development of the Basic Education Program
The historical development of the Philippine basic education
program proves the Department’s continuing effort at improving the
quality and relevance of basic education. In terms of curriculum
development, Table 47
shows that since 1945, the elementary
curriculum underwent three (3) revisions while that of the secondary
curriculum underwent four (4) before the K to 12 curriculum. This is
because the introduction of the 2-2 Plan, 2-year college preparatory
and 2-year vocational curriculum, was relevant only to the
secondary.
Table 4. Basic Education Curricular Reforms
7
Prepared by Avelina T. Llagas , former Director of the Bureau of Secondary Education,
DepEd
Like the K to 12 curriculum, the curricular revisions were backed up
by research findings and recommendations. The issue of curriculum
congestion which resulted to the learners’ lack of mastery of basic
competencies was the reason behind the introduction of the
decongested New Elementary Education Curriculum (NEEC) and
New Secondary Education Curriculum (NSEC) in 1983 and 1989,
respectively, and the 2002 Basic Education Curriculum. For
relevance, the 2-2 plan was introduced for the secondary schools in
1958 which was revised in the offering of electives for secondary
students in 1973, to give students choice on career path.
In the 2-2 Plan, both general and vocational secondary schools
offered the basic or common curriculum of academic courses with
one unit of Practical Arts in the first two years. In the last two years,
the general secondary schools offered a pre-college academic
curriculum with one unit of vocational elective each year while the
vocational secondary schools offered more specialized vocational
courses with one unit of academic elective each year. 8
The 2-2 Plan was a differentiated curriculum leading either to a
college or a technical course. Similar to that of the K to 12
curriculum, one of the guiding principles of the 2-2 Plan was that
“the curriculum of each school should provide vocational courses
which are geared to the occupations, resources and industries of
the community or region where the school is located.”9
It was seen
to be a very responsive curriculum. However, it was met with strong
opposition especially from the private sector which requested for its
deferment due to lack of money, facilities, equipment for vocational
education and lack of guidance counselors10
. The pitfalls of the 2-2
Plan implementation could be attributed to “insufficient preparation
before the plan was implemented and the continued high ’prestige’
8
Board of National Education, General Policies on Education, 1967-1972,
9
Board of National Education, General Education Policies : A Report , 1959-1961
10

7
value of the college preparatory course in the eyes of parents and
students.11
To respond to the need on improving curriculum relevance to
increasing diverse contexts of learners as a result of globalization
and in addition to the issue of an overcrowded curriculum that
haunted basic education, the Department of Education restructured
the NEEC (1983) and the NSEC (1989) into the 2002 Basic
Education Curriculum (BEC).
The 2002 BEC, the forerunner of the K to 12 curriculum, is a
decongested curriculum consisting of five (5) core learning areas
from as many as ten (10). It had the following objectives:
 Connect related subjects
 Increase the time allotted for Science, English, and
Mathematics;
 Reduce congestion of subjects;
 Improve attitude towards work to increase productivity ;
 Increase individual's ability to cope in a fast changing
world;
 Increase the importance of the arts, music, sports,
dance, and other aspects of Philippine culture; and
 Develop nationalism among Filipino learners for
responsible citizenry
After the introduction of the 2002 BEC, the Bureau of Elementary
Education conducted a thorough review of the competencies to
enhance the vertical articulation of competencies. In 2010, the
Bureau of Secondary Education implemented the 2002 BEC based
on the Understanding by Design (UbD) framework for meaningful
and integrative teaching. This was called 2010 SEC. This
curriculum design is focused on teaching for understanding and on
11
essential and big ideas. It makes use of the “backward design”
which necessitates determining targets and goals and assessment
first before identifying and planning learning activities to ensure
clarity of targets.
The issue on lack of mastery of concepts and skills partly due to a
congested curriculum did not end even with the already
decongested 2002 BEC. This means that the clamor for quality
basic education cannot be responded to by mere curriculum
decongestion. Thus the K to 12 Basic Education Program is not
only concerned with curriculum decongestion but also with other
critical concerns like addressing shortages of educational inputs,
improving the quality of teachers, and strengthened stakeholder
participation.
The K to 12 Basic Education Program is a comprehensive program
in the sense that the support systems to ensure its implementation
– the family and other stakeholders, instructional, administrative
and society as a whole are given the needed attention.

8
Outcome Goals of the K to 12 Basic Education Program
The K to 12 Basic Education Program seeks to realize the following:
1. Philippine education standards to be at par with
international standards
2. more emotionally mature graduates equipped with
technical and/or vocational skills who are better
prepared for work, middle level skills development and
higher education
3. significantly addressed shortages or gaps in educational
inputs (teacher items, school head items, classrooms,
instructional materials)
4. broadened and strengthened stakeholder support in the
improvement of basic education outcomes
5. improved internal efficiency
6. improved system of governance in the Department
7. improved quality of teachers
Process Goals of the K to 12 Basic Education Program
1. Decongest and reform the basic education curriculum in
coordination with CHED, TESDA and other education
stakeholders
2. Develop culture-sensitive, culture-responsive and
developmentally-appropriate print and non-print online
learning resources for K to 12
3. Conduct in-service training for teachers relative to the
implementation of the K to 12 curriculum
4. Focus on integrated instruction to equip learners with
skills for future employment, critical and creative thinking
and life skills
5. Universalize kindergarten by 2012
6. Institutionalize school-based management for school
empowerment
7. Institute reform in assessment framework and practice
for learner-centered basic education
8. Address basic input shortages in classrooms, teachers,
textbooks
9. Promote good education governance in the entire
Department
10. Pursue legislation to institutionalize K to 12 Basic
Education Program
11. Formulate transition management plan for the K to 12
implementation
12. Identify K to 12 model schools per region and per
specialization tracks that will model senior high school
by SY 2012-2013.

9
II. THE K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM
Goal
As Figure 6 shows, the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum is
geared towards the development of a holistically developed
Filipino with 21st
century skills who is ready for employment,
entrepreneurship, middle level skills development and higher
education upon graduation from Grade 12.

10
Figure 6. The K to 12 Graduate

11
The K to 12 graduate is equipped with the following 21st
century
skills: 1) information, media and technology skills, 2) learning
and innovation skills, 3) effective communication skills, and 4)
life and career skills.
Information, media and technology skills include 1) visual and
information literacies, media literacy, basic, scientific, economic and
technological literacies and multicultural literacy and global
awareness. The learning and innovation skills are 1) creativity
and curiosity; 2) critical thinking problem solving skills and risk
taking. To develop effective communication skills, the following
skills must be taught: 1) teaming, collaboration and interpersonal
skills; 2) personal, social, and civic responsibility and interactive
communication, and local, national and global orientedness. The
life and career skills are: 1) flexibility and adaptability; 2) initiative
and self-direction; 3) social and cross-cultural skills; 4) productivity
and accountability, 5) leadership and responsibility, and 6) ethical,
moral and spiritual values.
The ideal K to 12 graduate is one who manifests patriotism and
nationalism, love of humanity, respect for human rights,
appreciation of the role of national heroes in the historical
development of the country, observance of rights and duties of
citizenship, strong ethical and spiritual values, moral character and
personal discipline, critical and creative thinking, scientific and
technological knowledge, and vocational efficiency”12
.
The ideal K to 12 graduate is one who has discovered his/her
potential in a child-centered and value-driven teaching-learning
environment, one who is enabled to create his/her own destiny in a
global community, one who is prepared to become a responsible
citizen and an enlightened leader who loves his/her country and is
12
Philippine Constitution, Article XIV, Section 3. (2)
proud to be a Filipino.13
The overarching goal of the K to 12
Curriculum is achieved when every K to 12 graduate demonstrates
the desired outcomes as illustrated below:
13
DepEd’s vision statement, http://www.deped.gov.ph

12
Figure 7. The K to 12 Philippine Basic Education Curriculum Framework

13
The Learning Areas
The cluster of subjects of the K to 12 curriculum – Languages, Math
and Science, Arts and Humanities, and Technology and Livelihood
Education – cuts across the grade levels from K to Grade 12 to
nurture the learner’s holistic development. There is no demarcation
line among the cluster of subjects – to indicate that the curriculum is
organized to cut across subject lines and to put across the concept
that the whole curriculum is life itself.
The Language subjects are Mother Tongue, Filipino and English.
The Arts and Humanities subjects are Edukasyon sa
Pagpapakatao, Araling Panlipunan, Music, Arts, Physical Education
and Health (MAPEH). The other subjects are Science, Math and
Technology and Livelihood Education.
There are changes in the nomenclature of some subjects.
Edukasyon sa Pagpapahalaga for the secondary and Edukasyon sa
Pagpapakatao for the elementary are now renamed Edukasyon sa
Pagpapakatao. Science and Health is called Science. Health is
joined to MAPEH.
The learning areas in the K to 12 curriculum can be grouped into
two: 1) core compulsory learning areas and 2) areas of
specialization. These are enumerated in the discussion of
elementary and secondary education.
Co-Curricular and Community Involvement Programs
Co-curricular programs and community involvement programs are
an extension of the core subject areas and the teaching and
learning process. They are an integral part of the school curriculum
that enhances the holistic development of the learner. The co-
curricular programs in a large sense also serve as a laboratory of
life where what is learned in the classroom context can be applied
in practical terms yet be used as a further teachable opportunity.
Co-curricular and community involvement programs are
irreplaceable opportunities for the learner to reinforce and put into
practice the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes learned.
Co-curricular programs and community involvement programs are
an extension of the core subject areas and the teaching and
learning process. They are an integral part of the school curriculum
that enhances the holistic development of the learner. The co-
curricular programs in a large sense also serve as a laboratory of
life where what is learned in the classroom context can be applied
in practical terms yet be used as a further teachable opportunity.
Co-curricular and community involvement programs are
irreplaceable opportunities for the learner to reinforce and put into
practice the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes learned.
Figure 8. The Learning Areas of the K to 12 Curriculum

14
INFORMATION, MEDIA, AND TECHNOLOGY SKILLS  LEARNING INNOVATION SKILLS
 In Grade 1, oral Filipino is taught in 1st
Semester and oral English in the Second Semester For Grades 7 and 8 only
 LIFE AND CAREER SKILLS  EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS 
G e n e r a l A c a d e m i c P r o g r a m
Subjects
LEARNING DOMAIN
 Values Education
 Physical Health &
Motor
Development
 Social &
EmotionalDevelop
ment
 Cognitive
Development
 Creative Arts
 Language
LiteracyCommunic
ation
 Mother Tongue
 Filipino 
 English
 Mathematics
 Science
 Araling Panlipunan
 Edukasyon sa
Pagpapakatao
 MAPEH
Languages
o -English
o -Filipino
Literature
Mathematics
Science
Contemporary
Issues
• English
• Filipino
• Mathematics
• Science
• Araling Panlipunan
• MAPEH
• Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao
• EPP
• English
• Filipino
• Mathematics
• Science
• Music, Arts, PE & Health
(MAPEH )
• Araling Panlipunan
• Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao
• Technology & Livelihood
Education
TLEExploratoryCourses
 Academic
Specialization
o Mathematics
o Science
o Languages
o Journalism
o Sports and Arts
 Technical- Vocational
 Others
NONENONENONE Specialization
in TLE
Development of knowledge, skills,
attitude and values: mastery and
application basic skills
Development and mastery
of complex knowledge and
skills, development
of attitudes and values.
Consolidation of complex
knowledge and skills,
development of attitudes, values,
aptitudes and interest.
Consolidation of complex
knowledge and skills,
development of attitudes,
values as a result of a
strong liberal education;
adequate preparation for the
world of work
entrepreneurship, middle
level skills development and
higher education.

15
Distinctive Features and Guiding Principles
1. It is learner-centered. – The learner is the very reason of the
entire curriculum system. Who the learner is in his/her totality, how
he/she learns and develops and what his/her needs are were highly
considered in the making of the K to 12 curriculum framework.
The holistic learning and development of the learner is its primary
focus. Teacher creates a conducive atmosphere where the learner
enjoys learning, takes part in meaningful learning experiences and
experiences success because he/she is respected, accepted and
feels safe even if in his/her learning exploration he/she commits
mistakes. He/she learns at his/her own pace in his/her own learning
style. He/she is empowered to make choices and to become
responsible for his/her own learning in the classroom and for a
lifetime.
The learner-centered K to 12 curriculum gives prime importance to
developing self-propelling and independent lifelong learners.
2. It is inclusive. – The vision statement of DepEd states, “We
affirm the right of every Filipino child especially the less advantaged
to benefit from such system.”14
[referring to the existing educational
system.] It reaches out to all kinds of learners regardless of ability,
condition, age, gender, ethnicity, and social status. It is built on the
principle that every child has a right to education and that the
education system needs to be flexible to accommodate the learning
needs of all learners. The emphasis is on making schools learner-
friendly, mainstreaming learners with disability into general schools,
and creating a non-discriminatory education system where all
learners have equal opportunity to learn.
14
DepEd’s vision statement, http://www.deped.gov.ph
3. It is developmentally appropriate. – The K to 12 curriculum
considers the various developmental stages of learners. Selection
of activities is informed by age-appropriateness, individual
differences, and social and cultural diversity.
4. It is standard-based and competency-based. – What learners
should know and be able to do and the levels of proficiency at
which they are expected to demonstrate what they know and can
do are clearly stated in the form of standards unpacked into
competencies. With a standards- and competencies-based
curriculum, learners understand what are expected of them, parents
are clear on what are expected of their children, teachers are
guided on what to teach and how to teach, and the DepEd is
provided with a common reference tool for national assessment.
With standards, competencies are connected to ensure integrated
and meaningful teaching instead of isolated, disconnected and
meaningless teaching.
5. It is research-based. – The new features of the K to 12
curriculum are backed up by hard data. The use of Mother Tongue
as a medium of instruction from K to Grade 3 is supported by a
research finding that children learn better and are more active in
class and learn a second language even faster when they are first
taught in a language they understand.
The strengthening of ICT-integration in the basic education
curriculum in order to meet the 21st
century skills required by
employers, the use of the spiral progression approach in the
teaching of Math and Science, and the development of alternative
delivery modes to provide equal opportunity for all are backed up by
the recommendations of the DepEd-commissioned researches
conducted by SEAMEO INNOTECH and University of Melbourne.

16
Other research recommendations that were integrated in the K to
12 curriculum are the use of the expanding spiral progression
approach in the teaching of Science, Mathematics, Araling
Panlipunan, MAPEH and Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao and the
deliberate teaching of the investigatory process in Science as a
separate topic by Grade 7.
6. It is relevant and responsive. – The K to 12 curriculum is
aligned with national education and development goals enunciated
in the laws of the country and to the ten-point education agenda of
the President. It also responds to the Millennium Development
Goals and Education for All.
As the curriculum framework shows, the K to 12 curriculum is
designed to respond to the need for a nationalistic and productive
citizenry who contributes to the building of a progressive, just, and
humane society and whose personal discipline is grounded on
ethical, moral and spiritual values. The curriculum likewise
addresses the demands of global citizenship and partnership for
development that ensures environmental sustainability. In short, the
K to 12 curriculum responds to the learning needs of the learner of
the 21st
century and the local, national and global community.
7. It is value-driven. – The curriculum offers a subject in Values
Education with the descriptive title Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao.
This is one of the core and compulsory subjects from Grades 1 to
10. Values and Character Education is also one of the 6 domains in
Kindergarten. In the K to 12 curriculum, every teacher is a Values
Education teacher as all subject matter is a potent vehicle for
values integration.
In the K to 12 curriculum, the learner learns and develops in a
value-driven environment where everyone is respected and is
valued for he/she is.
8. It is culture-responsive and culture-sensitive. – To be truly
inclusive, the K to 12 curriculum respects cultures and experiences
of various ethnic groups and uses these as resources for teaching
and learning. Teachers are expected to provide lessons that cater
to a culturally diverse population and honor the cultural heritage of
all learners.
Given the multi-cultural characteristics of Philippine schools, the
Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) makes
the curriculum truly culture-responsive. Learning mother tongue
language helps learners retain their ethnic identity, culture, heritage
and values.
To make it responsive to Muslim learners, the K to 12 curriculum
continues to offer Madrasah education with subjects in Arabic
Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE) as a vital
component of the basic education system.
9. It is decongested. – To allow for mastery of competencies and
to give more emphasis to the development of student
understanding and on learning how to learn, repetitions of
competencies were weeded out. The new curriculum was
redesigned in line with the standards and competencies desired of
a K to 12 graduate.
10. It is seamless. – The K to 12 curriculum consists of a
continuum of competencies which provides transition from one
grade level to another without unnecessary duplication. The
continuum of standards and competencies from the elementary to
secondary level is ensured by the unified curriculum framework for
each learning area from elementary to high school. The standards
and competencies are developed following expanding spiral
progression model. This means that learning is built upon prior
knowledge, skills, values and attitude of students to ensure vertical
continuity.

17
11. It is flexible. – The flexibility of the curriculum is in keeping with
the constitutional mandate of schools “to encourage non-formal,
informal, and indigenous learning systems, as well as self-learning,
independent, and out-of-school study programs particularly those
that respond to community needs” (Article XIV, Section 2(1).
12. It is ICT-based. – ICT is taught in the junior high school as one
of the Technology and Livelihood Education courses and is now
integrated starting Grade 1 not Grade 4 as it is done in the 2002
Basic Education Curriculum. The K to 12 curriculum promotes the
use of technology for an engaging, effective, and efficient
instruction.
13. It is global. -– The K to 12 curriculum is benchmarked with
curricula of other countries. It meets international standards not
merely by adding two years to the 10 years of basic education but
also by ensuring that the standards of the 12-year basic education
is equivalent to the 12-year basic education offered in other
countries. Graduates of the K to 12 curriculum will be recognized as
such in other countries.
It expands the local orientedness of the learner to national and
global concerns. It enables learners to relate local, national and
global events and concerns and builds patterns of
interconnectedness which help them make sense of their own lives
and the world.
14. It is integrative and contextualized. – For holistic learning,
subjects are taught using the interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary
approach. Learners do not learn isolated facts and theories
divorced from their lives. Learning involves change in knowledge,
skills, values and attitudes.
Learning is organized around the 4 fundamental types of learning:
1) “learning to know”, 2) “learning to do”, 3) “learning to be”, and 4)
“learning to live together”15
. The K to 12 curriculum emphasizes the
significant role that co-curricular activities and community
involvement play in the holistic development of the learner. They
are genuine opportunities for contextualized learning. The co-
curricular activities and community involvement programs enable
learners to build on their classroom learning and apply the
knowledge and skills learned.
In Technology and Livelihood Education, areas are so chosen to
avoid duplication, make connection across the areas and to include
other cross-curriculum elements (mensuration, technical drawing,
use of hand tools, occupational health & safety and tools/equipment
maintenance) in order to ensure greater cohesiveness in the
curriculum as a whole.
For flexibility, the K to 12 curriculum provides a balance of a
common core of compulsory academic courses and electives to
meet needs of learners and community in the 21st
century.
As early as Grade 9, the learner is offered multiple career pathways
for technology and livelihood education continued on Grades 11
and 12 where he/she is offered other specializations such as
academics, sports and the arts in addition to technical and
vocational education.
Schools are encouraged to localize the curriculum to respond to
their teaching-learning needs. They can likewise enrich the
curriculum without sacrificing the established content and
performance standards and competencies to make the curriculum
responsive to their needs. This is in response to RA 9155,
Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001 which states that “The
15
UNESCO’s Report of the International Commission on Education for the 21st century.

18
State shall encourage local initiatives for improving the quality of
basic education. The State shall ensure that the values, needs and
aspirations of a school community are reflected in the program of
education for children, out-of-school youth and adult learners.
Schools and learning centers shall be empowered to make
decisions on what is best for the learners they serve.”
The K to 12curriculum lends itself to alternative delivery modes of
instruction which support self-paced study options such as Open
High School Program, computer-aided instruction, modular
teaching, Drop-Out Reduction Program (DORP) and Alternative
Learning System (ALS), and multi-grade classes as these programs
target learners who have unique needs not addressed by the formal
school system.
15. It is broad-based. – K to 12 curriculum provides for a broad
general education that will “assist each individual in the peculiar
ecology of his own society, to (a) attain his potentials as a human
being; (b) enhance the range and quality of individual and group
participation in the basic functions of society; and (c) acquire the
essential educational foundation of his development.”16
16. It is enhanced. – The K to 12 curriculum is a product of the
collaborative effort of curriculum specialists, subject specialists,
practitioners and education stakeholders representing NGOs,
business and industry, public and private higher education
institutions, educational associations, government agencies such as
CHED, TESDA, NEDA, DSWD and DOLE. This curriculum was
crafted based on the suggestions from sectoral representatives,
college readiness standards formulated by CHED,
recommendations from researches, and feedback from
practitioners. The K to 12 curriculum takes pride in the unified
16
Education Act of 1982.
frameworks for elementary and high school for all the learning
areas.
The K to 12 curriculum builds on the previous curricular reforms.
The 1957 2-2 Plan for secondary education and 1958 revised
elementary education curriculum provided for the preparation of
students in the world of the academe or the world of work.
However, it limited the students to only two choices – college or
vocational education. The K to 12curriculum affords the student
more choices after graduation, at least four (4) – employment,
entrepreneurship, middle level skills development, or higher
education.
The K to 12 curriculum outshines the past curricula in addressing
the demands of a knowledge-based economy for local, national and
global development. It provides multiple pathways for further
studies and career development aligned to international standards
and manpower requirement of the 21st
century.
Unlike the past curricula, the K to 12 curriculum includes an
integrated and play-based Kindergarten curriculum as a
commitment of the Philippines to EFA. It includes MTB-MLE which
is built on the basic idea to use the child's first language in teaching
– learning so the child is provided with a firm foundation for on-
going education in Filipino and English, the two major
languages of education in the Philippines.17
Like its forerunners, the K to 12 curriculum is decongested not
interms of the number of subjects (2002 BEC) but in terms of
competencies. Makabayan as a learning area in the 2002 BEC is
split into Music, Art, P.E. Health, Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao, and
Araling Panlipunan in the K to 12 curriculum but are taught using
the integration approach.
17
Board of National Education, General Policies on Education, 1967-1972,1951-1961 &
1958-1960

19
Pedagogical Approaches
The pedagogical approaches are integrative, constructivist,
inquiry-based, reflective and collaborative.
Constructivist. Teaching of all the subjects is anchored on the
belief that the learner is not an empty receptacle who is mere
recipient of instruction. Rather, the learner is an active constructor
of knowledge and a maker of meaning.
The role of the teacher becomes one of a facilitator, a “guide on the
side” rather than a dispenser of information, the “sage on stage”.
The student becomes the active “meaning-maker” not the teacher
imposing meaning. This means that learners construct their own
knowledge and understanding of what is taught out of their
experiences.
Inquiry-based. The curriculum ensures that the learners have the
opportunity to examine concepts, issues and information in various
ways and from various perspectives. It provides them opportunities
to develop skills of creative and critical thinking, informed decision-
making, and hypothesis building and problem-solving. The learners
are encouraged to become active investigators by identifying a
range of information, understanding the sources of information and
evaluating the objectivity of information. They are thus better able to
draw meaningful conclusions which are supported by evidence.
Rather than examining an issue from any one perspective, the
learners are challenged to explore other possibilities by applying
higher order thinking skills in their decision-making endeavours.
To develop the 21st
century skills of critical and creative thinking,
the use of the inquiry approach in teaching is a must. With inquiry
method, teaching departs from simply memorizing fact laden
instructional materials (Bruner, 1961). In Inquiry learning, progress
is assessed by how well learners develop experimental and
analytical skills rather than how much knowledge they possess. The
teacher’s role is to plan and facilitate the exploration of the ideas
and skills required in the curriculum.
Reflective. Reflective teaching means making the learners look at
what they do in the classroom, think about why they do it, and think
about if it works. Reflective teaching encourages learners to engage
in a process of self-observation and self-evaluation. By collecting
information about what goes on in their classroom, and by
analyzing and evaluating this information, they identify and explore
their own practices and underlying beliefs. This may then lead to
changes and improvements in their learning.
Collaborative. Learning is a social activity and so must be
collaborative. Learning is intimately associated with connection with
other human beings- classmates, teachers, peers, family as well as
community. The teaching-learning process is a rich opportunity to
teach what it means to “live together”, the fourth pillar of learning.
The teaching-learning process should be interactive and must
promote teamwork.
Integrative. Subject matter is taught using interdisciplinary and
multidisciplinary approaches. Science is taught in relation to Math

20
and vice versa. The content in Science, Health, Art, and Physical
Education may become a reading material in English or the content
in Araling Panlipunan and Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao serves as
reading material in Filipino. What is taught in Science is reinforced
by the lessons in Health. With the thematic approach, within each
subject itself, the connectedness of topics taught is shown. Co-
curricular activities and community involvement complement
teaching-learning in the classroom. They are real life opportunities
for contextualized and integrative learning.
Learning is contextual. Learning cannot be divorced from their lives.
Learners do not learn from isolated facts and theories separate
from the rest of their lives.
Every end of the quarter is an opportunity to integrate learning by
way of a culminating activity.
Assessment
The K to 12 curriculum has a balanced assessment program.
Assessment in the K to 12 curriculum is, in the words of Cronbach,
comprehensive and involves multifaceted analysis of performance
that uses a variety of techniques which has primary reliance on
observations of performance and integration of diverse information.
It makes appropriate use of both traditional and authentic
assessment tools. It practices self-assessment (assessment as
learning), formative assessment (assessment for learning) and
summative assessment (assessment of learning.)
Self-assessment (assessment as learning) develops in the learner
personal responsibility for learning. It begins as he/she becomes
aware of the goals of instruction and the criteria for performance.
He /she sets his/her personal learning goals based on standards
set, monitors his/her progress by regularly undertaking informal and
formal self-assessment and by actively reflecting on his/her
progress (metacognition)in relation to his/her personal goals. The
self- assessment process gives the learners an opportunity to
assess themselves, reflect on results , why they did well or why
they did not do well and learn from their experiences.
In formative assessment, the teacher and learner use assessment
primarily to improve learning and teaching. Assessment for learning
is about assessing progress, analyzing and giving feedback on the
outcomes of assessment positively and constructively. It is given at
the beginning of teaching (diagnostic) or in the process of teaching
(formative) to guide instruction and teacher decision-making. Before
teachers introduce a new lesson teachers pre-assess the entry
knowledge and skills of the learners by way of a pre-test. If the
learners do not possess the prerequisite knowledge and skills,
teacher adjusts instruction.
Formative assessment is an on-going assessment which includes,
review and observation in a classroom to check if learners are
learning. The results of formative assessment are recorded for
tracking learners’ progress, not for grading purposes.
In the K to 12 curriculum, the assessment process involves the use
of a wide array of traditional and authentic assessment tools and
techniques for a valid, reliable and realistic assessment of learning.
Traditional and authentic assessments complement each other.
They are not mutually exclusive.
Assessment is based on multiple information sources (e.g. pre-
tests, written tests, portfolios, and works in progress, teacher

21
observation, and conversation). Verbal or written feedback to the
learner is primarily descriptive. Feedback emphasizes strengths,
identifies challenges, and points to next steps.
A balanced assessment for the K to 12 curriculum also means
putting emphasis on assessing understanding and skills
development rather than on accumulation of content. This is one of
the recommendations of the research conducted by the University
of Melbourne.
Teacher also checks learning at the end of a unit or term to
determine how much has been learned. This is referred to as
assessment of learning (summative assessment). It is designed to
measure the learner achievement at the end of a unit or term to
gauge what he/she has learned in comparison with established
standards. The assessment results are the bases of grades or
marks which are communicated to learners and parents.
National assessment, a form of summative assessment, will be
conducted in four key stages, namely:
1. end of Grade3, key stage 1;
2. end of Grade 6, key stage 2;
3. end of Grade 10, key stage 3; and
4. End of Grade 12, key stage 4.
In addition to the usual assessment conducted at the end of each
level of schooling – elementary, junior high school and senior high
school – summative assessment in the national level is conducted
at the end of Grade 3, to determine the impact of the use of Mother
Tongue as medium of instruction. The assessment in Grade 12 is
conceived to accomplish several purposes, to assess achievement
of the K to 12 standards and to serve the purposes of a college
entrance examination.
Except for assessment at the end of Grade 3, all assessments
apply to the alternative learning system.
There are other assessments given to learners. These are the
Occupational Interest Inventory for Secondary Students given in
Grade seven and the National Career Assessment Examination
given in Grade 8.
Structure of the Curriculum
K to 12 Curriculum includes Kindergarten, six years of elementary
and six years of high school which is divided into stages: four years
of junior high school and two years of senior high school. It follows
the K-6-4-2 model. (See Figure 7).
Figure 9. Structure of the K to 12 Curriculum.

22
Kindergarten
Universal Kindergarten caters to children aged 5. With the passage
of R.A. 10157, otherwise known as the Kindergarten Education Act,
an act institutionalizing pre-school education, Kindergarten is
mandatory by SY 2012-2013.
Recognizing the central role of play in young children’s learning and
development, Kindergarten teachers use spontaneous play as a
natural way of teaching - learning in all domains of development:
physical, motor, social, emotional, and cognitive. There are no
formal subjects in Kindergarten. Instead, there are six domains,
namely: 1) values education, 2) physical health and motor
development, 3) social and emotional development, 4) cognitive
development, 5) creative arts and 6) language literacy and
communication. The teaching of Kindergarten employs the
integrative approach to ensure that no learning domain is taught in
isolation. Teaching–learning activities are play-based considering
the developmental stage of Kindergarteners.
Elementary Education
Elementary education is compulsory and free. It provides basic
education to pupils aged six to eleven and it consists of six years of
study. Elementary education includes Grades 1 to 6. After
completing the six-year elementary program, learners receive a
certificate of graduation.
The elementary curriculum provides various learning experiences
that will enable learners to acquire basic knowledge, skills, values,
attitudes, and habits essential for lifelong learning.
The core compulsory subjects in the elementary are 1) English, 2)
Filipino, 3) Mathematics, 4) Science, 5) Araling Panlipunan, 6)
Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao, 7) Music, Art, Physical Education
and Health (MAPEH) and 8) Edukasyong Pantahanan at
Pangkabuhayan. Not all subjects are taught beginning Grade 1.
Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan is taught beginning
Grade 4. Science is offered only starting Grade 3, however, science
concepts and processes are integrated in the teaching of
Languages, Physical Education and Health, Edukasyon sa
Pagpapakatao, and Araling Panlipunan. The skills and steps of the
investigatory process which are deliberately taught in Grade 7
Science are also taught in Araling Panlipunan when the learners
are asked for example to determine the authenticity of primary and
secondary sources. Science content such as the human body and
its development is also discussed in Health, Physical Education and
Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao. Science topics like climate change,
environmental sustainability are favorite topics for writing and
discussion in the Language classes. All these and more prove that
science is all over the curriculum even before it is taught formally as
a separate subject in Grade 3.
Mother Tongue as a subject is taught from Grades 1 to 3. Oral
Filipino and oral English are introduced in Grade 1, in the first
semester and in the second semester, respectively.

23
Secondary Education
Secondary education is free but not compulsory. It is meant to build
on the foundation knowledge, skills and attitudes developed in
the elementary level and to discover and “enhance the aptitudes
and interests of the student as to equip him with skills for productive
endeavor and/or prepare him for tertiary schooling.”18
With the K to
12 curriculum, it consists of 4years of junior high school, Grades 7
to 10, and 2 years of senior high school, Grades 11 to 12. (Refer to
Figure 9).
In junior high school, the learner takes 8 core compulsory subjects
as follows: 1) English, 2) Filipino, 3) Mathematics, 4) Science, 5)
Araling Panlipunan, 6) Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao, 7) Music, Art,
Physical Education and Health (MAPEH), and 8) Technology and
Livelihood Education (TLE). The TLE subjects that are offered are
based on the Training Regulations from Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority to enable the learner to obtain the
National Certificate required by industry.
The TLE subjects in Grades 7 and 8 are exploratory. This means
that the Grade 7 and 8 learner is given the opportunity to explore
from a maximum of 4 TLE mini courses in Grade 7 and another 4 in
Grade 8 which the school offers depending on community needs
and school resources. In the exploratory courses, the learner is
taught 5 basic competencies common to all TLE courses. The basic
competencies are 1) mensuration and calculation, 2) use of tools
and equipment, 3) interpretation of plans/drawing, 4) occupational
health and safety in the workplace, and 5) maintenance of tools and
equipment. (See Table 5). In Grades 7 and 8, the learner does not
18
Education Act of 1982, Sec. 22
yet obtain a Certificate of Competency (COC). The exploratory
courses are a prelude to the earning of a COC in Grade 9 and a NC
I/II in Grade 10.
In Grade 9, the learner chooses one course to specialize in from
among the exploratory courses that he/she was oriented to in
Grades 7 and 8. In this level, the learner obtains a Certificate of
Competency. In Grade 10 he/she pursues the TLE specialization
course that he/she has chosen in Grade 9 for him/her to obtain at
least a National Certificate Level I or Level II (NC-I/NC-II)
depending on the TLE course chosen.
Senior high school, the apex of secondary education, consists of
Grades 11 and 12. In this level, the learner goes through a
proposed core of not more than 7 compulsory subjects and a
required specialization for the learner’s career pathway chosen from
among 1) entrepreneurship, 2) tech-voc, and 3) academics.
Specialization in academics includes course offerings in 1) science,
2) math 3) languages, foreign and Philippine languages, 4)
journalism, 5) sports and the 6) arts.
The proposed core compulsory subjects for Grade 11 are: 1)
English, 2) Filipino, 3) Math, 4) Philosophy, 5) Life Sciences, and 6)
Contemporary Local Issues. For Grade 12, the proposed core
compulsory subjects are: 1) English, 2) Filipino, 3) Philippine
Literature, 1st
semester, 4) World Literature, 2nd
semester, 5) Math,
6) Physical Sciences, and 7) Contemporary Global Issues.
The subjects in senior high school are mostly the general education
subjects in the first two years of college brought down to the basic
education level. The specialization courses equip the senior high
school learner with knowledge and skills in the career path of

24
his/her choice. Those who choose to go to college will take any
specialization in academics. Those who opt to go for tech-voc
specialization will pursue the TLE specialization began in Grade 9.
If the learner chooses tech-voc as a specialization in Grades 11 and
12, he/she continues the TLE specialization that he/she started in
Grade 9 and pursued in Grade 10. This enables him/her to acquire
NC-II. The vertical and horizontal transfers in Grades 11 and 12
presented in Table 5 refer to the advancement in the level of
certification either upward like a ladder (vertical) or sideward like a
bridge. An example of a vertical ladder is obtaining NC-II for
Building Wiring Electricity after getting NC-I for Building Wiring
Electricity. Horizontal transfer means going into different fields of
training at the same qualification level. An example is Building
Wiring Electricity NC-II to Carpentry NC-II.
Alternative Learning System
For an integrated system of basic education, the K to 12 curriculum
structure includes an alternative learning system which is a parallel
learning or delivery system to provide a viable alternative to the
existing formal education instruction. It caters to specific learner
needs and requirements, because apart from dropouts who are
mostly from poor households, there are special groups not reached
by the formal education system: the indigenous peoples, Muslim
communities, victims of armed conflict, child and youth laborers,
differently-abled, inmates, homeless and street children, single
parents, etc.
For ALS to be truly parallel with the formal system and for ALS
graduates not to be marginalized, it focuses on the teaching of the
same standards and competencies of the formal system. (See
Figure 10). It shall be delivered through graded and non-graded
modules, print or non-print which will also be made available on-
line. An accreditation and equivalency test for both academic and
technical skills is an important component of the program.
Figure 10. K to 12 Curriculum in both Formal
Education and Alternative Learning Systems

25
Figure 11. Core Learning Areas/Domains from K to 12
 For 24 TLE courses, refer to Table 5

26
Table 5. Common Competencies in the Grade 7 and 8 TLE Exploratory Courses and Specialization in Grade 11 and 12

27
Table 6. Proposed Subjects for Grades 11 and 12

28
Table 7. The Components of the K to 12 Curriculum at a Glance

29
GLOSSARYOF TERMS
1. Certificate of Competency – a document issued TESDA to
individuals who were assessed as competent in a single unit or cluster
of related units of competency
2. Competence – This is a combination of knowledge, skills and
values and attitudes (KSVAs) which are used to achieve
outcomes in real life scenarios.
3. Competency – This refers to a specific task performed with
mastery. It allows the identification of difficulty levels. It also
refers to the ability to perform activities within an occupation or
function to the standards expected by drawing from one’s
knowledge, skills and attitudes.
4. Content – This is the scope and sequence of topics and skills
covered in each strand/domain/theme/component.
5. Content Standards – Statements of what the learner should be
able to know and be able to do.
6. Core Content – This refers to the focus of teaching-learning
process in the learning areas. For K to 12 curriculum , these
are communication and literacies, critical thinking and problem
solving ,ethical, moral and spiritual values, creativity and
innovation, life and career competencies, development of self
and sense of community, national and global orientedness.
7. Core Learning Area Standard – This is a broad statement
that shows the degree or quality of proficiency that the learner
is able to demonstrate after learning a particular learning area
across K to 12 in relation to the desired outcomes and overall
goal.
8. Demonstrate understanding – This is shown in the learners’
ability to do the following:
a) Explain – provide thorough and justifiable accounts of
phenomena, facts, and data.
b) Interpret – tell meaningful stories, offer apt translations,
provide a revealing historical or personal dimension to ideas
and events; make subjects personal or accessible through
images, anecdotes, analogies, and models.
c) Apply – effectively use and adapt what they know in diverse
contexts.
d) Have perspective – see and hear points of view through
critical eyes and ears; see the big picture.
e) Empathize- find value in what others might find odd, alien, or
implausible; perceive sensitively on the basis of prior indirect
experience.
f) Have self-knowledge – perceive the personal style,
prejudices, projections, and habits of mind that both shape
and impede our own understanding; they are aware of what
they do not understand and why understanding is so hard.
9. Effective communication skills – It is the ability to: 1)
articulate one’s thoughts and ideas effectively using oral,
written and nonverbal communication skills in a variety of forms
and contexts; 2) listen effectively to decipher meaning,
including knowledge, values, attitudes and intentions; 3) use
communication for a range of purposes (e.g. to inform, instruct,
motivate and persuade); and 4) communicate effectively in
diverse environments (including multi-lingual).
10. Flexibility and adaptability – It is the ability to adapt to
change, varied roles, jobs, responsibilities, schedules and
context and to understand, negotiate and balance diverse
views and beliefs to reach workable solutions, particularly in
multi-cultural environments.

30
11. Global Competence – This means having an open mind while
actually seeking to understand cultural norms and expectations
of others, leveraging this gained knowledge to interact,
communicate and work effectively outside one’s environment
(Hunter, 2004).
12. Globally Competent Learner – He/she is one who is able to
understand the interconnectedness of peoples and systems to
have a general knowledge of history and world events, to
accept and cope with the existence of different cultural values
and attitudes and, indeed, to celebrate the richness and
benefits of this diversity (American Council on International
Education).
13. Grade Level Standard – This is a statement that shows the
degree or quality of proficiency that the learner is able to
demonstrate after learning a particular learning area in each
Grade level based on the key stage standard. The key stages
are K-3, 4-6, 7-10 and 11-12.
14. Holistically developed Filipino – He/she is one who
possesses a healthy mind and body, has solid moral and
spiritual grounding, has essential knowledge, skills, values and
attitudes to continuously develop himself/herself to the fullest,
engages in critical thinking and creative problem solving,
contributes to the development of a progressive, just, and
humane society, is proud to be a Filipino and who appreciates
cares for humanity, the world and the environment.
15. Information Literacy – Accessing information efficiently and
effectively, evaluating information critically and competently,
using information accurately and creatively for the issue or
problem at hand; managing the flow of information from a wide
variety of sources, and applying a fundamental understanding
of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of
information
16. Initiative and self-direction – It is the ability to manage goals
and time, work independently and to direct oneself for learning.
17. Key stage – This refers to stages in the curriculum where
assessment of learning is critical. These are key stage 1, end
of Grade 3; key stage 2, end of Grade 6; key stage 3, end of
Grade 10; and key stage 4, end of Grade 12.
18. Key Stage Standard – This is a statement that shows the
degree or quality of proficiency that the learner is able to
demonstrate in each key stage after learning a particular
learning area in relation to the core learning area standard. The
key stages are K-3, 4-6, 7-10 and 11-12.
19. Leadership and responsibility – It refers to the ability to: 1)
Use interpersonal and problem-solving skills to influence and
guide others toward a goal; 2) leverage strengths of others to
accomplish a common goal, 3) inspire others to reach their
very best via example and selflessness; 4) demonstrate
integrity and ethical behavior in using influence and power, and
5) act responsibly with the interests of the larger community in
mind.
20. Learning and Innovation Skills – It is adequately mastering
basic competencies and using these basic competencies
creatively for lifelong learning. It is acting on creative ideas to
make a tangible and useful contribution to the local and global
community.
21. Life and career skills – These refer to the following abilities:
1) flexibility and adaptability, 2) initiative and self- direction, 3)

31
social and cross-cultural skills, 4) productivity and
accountability, and 5) leadership and responsibility.
22. Media Literacy – It is the ability to sift through and analyze the
messages that inform, entertain and sell to learners every day.
It is the ability to question what lies behind media productions —
the motives, the money, the values and the ownership — and to
be aware of how these factors influence message content.
23. National Certificate – It is a certification issued to individuals
who achieved all the required units of competency for a national
qualification as defined under the Training Regulations.
24. National Certificate Level – It refers to the four (4) qualification
levels defined in the Philippine TVET Qualifications Framework
where the worker is:
a. NC-I performs a routine and predictable tasks; has little
judgment; and, works under supervision;
b. NC-II performs prescribe range of functions involving known
routines and procedures; has limited choice and complexity
of functions, and has little accountability;
c. NC-III performs a wide range of skills; works with some
complexity and choice; contributes to problem solving and
work processes; and, shows responsibility for self and others;
and
d. NC-IV performs a wide range of applications; have
responsibilities that are complex and non-routine; provides
some leadership and guidance of others; and, performs
evaluation and analysis of work practices and the
development of new criteria and procedures.19
25. Performance Standards – Statements of what the learner is
going to do with what he/she has learned in terms of
knowledge and skills. They are statements of the degree or
quality of proficiency with which the learner is able to
demonstrate his/her mastery of knowledge and skills and
internalization of values and attitudes in relation to content
standards.
26. Productivity and accountability – It is the ability to manage
time and projects effectively, produce quality results and be
accountable for results.
27. Skill – It is the coordinated performance of related tasks with a
certain degree of facility.
28. Social and cross-cultural skills – These refer to skills
needed to interact effectively with others and work effectively in
diverse teams.
29. Spiral Curriculum – Big ideas, important tasks and ever
deepening inquiry must recur in ever increasing complexity
through engaging problems and applications; “form follows
function”; If the goal (function of curriculum) is increased
understanding, then a more spiral-like logic (form) may be
necessary.
30. Standard – In its broadest sense, it is something against which
other things can be compared for the purpose of determining
accuracy, estimating quantity or judging quality. It is a broadly
stated expectation of what one should know and be able to do.
19
TESDA Circular No.23, s. 2008 – Implementing Guidelines on PTQCS)

32
31. Technological literacy – It is the ability to use computers and
other technology to improve learning, productivity and
performance.
32. 21st
Century Skills – These are the special abilities that
learners need to develop so that they can be prepared for the
challenges of work and life in the 21st century.

33
VI. REFERENCES
Batomalaque, Antonio. Basic Science Development Program of the
Philippines for International Cooperation. University of San Carlos.;
Marinas, Bella and Ditapat, Maria. Philippines: Curriculum and
Development. UNESCO International Bureau of Education
Board of National Education, General Policies on Education, 1967-
1972, 1951-1961 & 1958-1960
Care, Esther Care and Ethel Valenzuela, Analysis of Basic
Education of thePhilippines:Implications for the K to 12 Education
Program, Jan. 2012.
de Jesus, Edilberto. Philippine Daily Inquirer, January 8, 2010.
Education Act of 1982
Mullis, I.V., M.O. Martin, D.F. Robitaille, & P. Foy, (2009). Chestnut
Hill, MA. Trends in International Mathematics and Science
Advanced 2008.
National Center for Education Statistics. Highlights from the Trends
in International Mathematics and Science Study 2003.December
2004
UNESCO’s Report of the International Commission on Education
for the 21st century.
1987 Philippine Constitution
http://www.deped.gov.ph
International Engineering Alliance. The Washington Accord.
http://www.washingtonaccord.org/Washington-Accord/FAQ.cfm
(Accessed 11 September 2010

34
VII. COMMITTEES ON K TO 12 CURRICULUM
Steering Committee Members
Name Institution
Chairperson Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC Department of Education
Co-Chairs Dr. Patricia Licuanan
Sec. Joel Villanueva
Commission on Higher
Education
Technical Skills and
Development Authority
Members Senator Edgardo Angara
(represented by Dr. Dan
Rola and/or Dr. Chat
Sebastian)
Senate
Congressman Salvador
Escudero (represented by
Ms. Maria Josefina J.
Roque-Ricafort)
House of Representatives
Dir. Erlinda M. Capones
(sometimes represented
by Ms. Rhona Caoli-
Rodriguez)
National Economic
Development Authority
Mr. Valencio R. delos
Reyes, Jr.
Department of Labor and
Employment
USec. Alicia R. Bala
by Ms. Cynthia Diano
and/or Ms. Anely A.
Burgo)
Department of Social Welfare
and Development
Ms. France Castro ACT
Ms. Zenaida Lao
Mr. Redentor Quilala Parent Teacher Association
Representative
Ms. Tiffany Uy Student Government
Representative
Dr. Lauro B. Tacbas
Dr. Jimmy Soria
PASUC
Dr. Chito Salazar
by Mr. Wadel Cabrera)
Philippine Business for
Education
Dr. Jose Campos COCOPEA
Advisers Dr. Isagani Cruz Academe (Private)
Dr. Ester Ogena Academe (Public)
Rep. Mariano Piamonte Partylist Representative
Mr. Edicio dela Torre E-Net
Fr. Gregorio Bañaga, Jr. Academe (Private)
Technical
Working Group
Chairpersons
USec.Yolanda Quijano DepED, TWG on Curriculum
USec. Francisco Varela DepED, TWG on Research
USec. Rizalino Rivera DepED, TWG on
Communications
USec. Albert Muyot DepED, TWG on Legislation
ASec. Tonisito Umali DepED, TWG on Transition
Management
Dr. Lolit Andrada DepED, Curriculum sub-TWG
on 11 and 12, Transition
Management sub-TWG on
SHS system readiness
assessment
Dr. Socorro Pilor DepED, Curriculum sub-TWG

35
on instructional materials
Dr. Paraluman Giron Curriculum Sub-TWG on K to
10
Dr. Nelia Benito DepED, Curriculum sub-TWG
on Assessment
Dr. Beatrice Torno DepED, Curriculum sub-TWG
on teacher education
Dr. Milagros Valles DepED, Transition
Management sub-TWG on
SHS modeling
Technical Working Group on Research
Name Institution
Chairperson USec. Francis Varela DepED
Members Mr. Napoleon Imperial CHED
Dir. Erlinda M. Capones
(represented by Ms. Rhona
Caoli-Rodriguez)
NEDA
Dr. Vincent Fabella JRU
Mr. Jess Mateo DepED, Planning Office
Dr. Rosario Manasan Consultant
Dr. Aniceto Orbeta Consultant
K to 12
Secretariat
Magdalena Mendoza DAP
Technical Working Group on Transition Management
Name Institution
Chairperson ASec. Tonisito Umali DepED
Dr. Imelda Taganas TESDA
Dr. Reynaldo Vea COCOPEA?
Dr. Vincent Fabella JRU
Dr. Amelou Reyes PWU/ FAPE
Dr. Carol Porio FAPE
Dr. Arnie Azcarraga DLSU
Engr. Alex Escano MFI
USec.Francis Varela DepED, TWG on Research
USec. Rizalino Rivera DepED, TWG on
Communications
ASec. Jess Mateo DepED, Planning Office
Dr. Brenda Corpuz Curriculum Consultant
Dir. Lolit Andrada DepED, sub-TWG on SHS
system readiness assessment
Dir. Milagros Valles DepED, sub-TWG on SHS
Modeling
K to 12
Secretariat

36
Technical Working Group on Curriculum
Name Institution
Chairperson USec. Yolanda Quijano DepED
Dr. Imelda Taganas TESDA
Dr. Lolit Andrada DepED, sub-TWG on 11 and 12
Dr. Socorro Pilor DepED, sub-TWG on
instructional materials
Dr. Paraluman Giron Sub-TWG on 1 to 10
Dr. Nelia Benito DepED, sub-TWG on
Assessment
Dr. Beatrice Torno DepED, sub-TWG on teacher
education
Dr. Brenda Corpuz Curriculum Consultant
Dr. Dina Ocampo UP, Languages (English,
Filipino, Mother Tongue)
Convenor
Dr. Maris Diokno UP, Araling Panlipunan
Convenor
Dr. Ian Garces AdMU, Math Convenor
Dr. Merle Tan UP NISMED, Science Convenor
Dr. Dennis Faustino St. Mary’s, Music and Art
Convenor
Dr. Larry Gabao PNU, Physical Education
Convenor
Dr. Evelina Vicencio UE, Health Convenor
Dr. Fe Hidalgo UST, Edukasyon sa
Pagpapakatao Convenors
Dr. Imelda Taganas TESDA, EPP-TLE Convenor
Technical Working Group on Communications
Name Institution
Chairperson USec. Rizalino Rivera DepED
Members Dir. Tina Ganzon DepED
Mr. Napoleon Imperial CHED
ASec. Jess Mateo DepED, Planning Office
Mr. Kenneth Tirado DepED Communications
Mr. Raul Limbo
Mr. Wadel Cabrera Philippine Business for Education
Ms. Dorris Ferrer CEAP
ASec. Tonisito Umali TWG on Transition Management
K to 12
Secretariat

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