1. Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Tuesday strongly criticized and opposed the implementation of the Department of Education's
(DepEd) K to 12 basic education program.
"This K to 12 program apparently is being forced on everybody else, on the parents, the schoolchildren and the teachers
without the enabling law," Trillanes said during the day's Senate committee hearing on bills regarding education.
"I'm really sad that we're even talking about this. This is a no brainer from all perspectives. For a third world country, a
developing country, this should have not been placed on the table to begin with," he added
The K to 12 program adds two years to the elementary and high school curriculum to give students the needed skills for work,
should they decide to skip college
The DepEd had said that the K to 12 program will only be implemented in the Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 7 levels this
year. It added that Grades 11 and 12 will be implemented in 2016
10-year basic education program
During the hearing, DepEd Undescretary Yolanda Quijano explained that the Philippines is one of only three countries in the
world who still implement a 10-year basic education program.
"We are not generally meeting the standards that is asked of us in the international community," Quijano said.
Trillanes, however, questionned this, saying Filipino workers are in demand overseas.
"Why do we need to change the basic education program if we have OFWs who are in demand because of their skills? Then it
means we're satisfying the requirements as far as quality is concerned," he said.
He likewise said that he, along with other public officials, were products of the 10-year basic education program and that they
turned out fine.
"You're saying we're intellectually inferior? That first reason can't hold, you better come up with another one," said Trillanes, a
former Navy officer.
Quijano tried to argue that the salary of those with 10-year basic education was lower than those who underwent a 12-year
program, but was immediately shut down by the senator.
"If the problem is the quality then maybe you should look somewhere else, like the lack of teachers. Probably we can think of
something else instead of just coming up with this ivory tower solution that is completely not grounded," he said.
"You hire teachers first, fill up the requirements, the backlog for classrooms and all that then we start talking about all of these
innovations," he added
Export graduates
Trillanes then asked Quijano if it was the policy of the administraton to export graduates and not satisfy the country's own
requirements.
The DepEd official replied "not really" but that many Filipino graduates would like to go abroad to work.
Trillanes, however, said the solution is to provide opportunities in the country.
"You now have kids growing up without parents... let's not tinker with this experimental program and force it on everybody,"
he said.
But with the K to 12 program, Quijano said even high school graduates will be able to get jobs in the country easily.
Trillanes was unconvinced, saying she's contradicting herself by saying college graduates have a hard time looking for jobs but
that high school graduates won't.
"I'm sorry but that's the lamest you came up with...it's not cohesive," he said.
He likewise asked DepEd whether it considered that the country would not have college graduates for two years in the future.
Quijano said their technical working group has been working on a transition management plan for 2016.
"The reality on the ground is that no matter how you come up with fancy words, technical words transition program whatever
the bottomline is we won't have college graduates, college freshmen for two years," said Trillanes.
Quijano said that the government will pay for the cost for the schooling of grades 11 and 12 but that parents will still have to
shoulder the allowance and transportation costs.
Frequently Asked Questions Page 1 of 3
K to 12 Pre-Summit Conference
December 2011 K to 12
Basic Education Program
K to 12 Basic Education Program
Frequently Asked Questions
As of 25 November 2011
When will the K to 12 program be implemented?
 Universal Kindergarten started in SY 20112012.
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 The new curriculum for Grade 1 and Grade 7 (High School Year 1) will be implemented
in SY 2012-2013 and will progress in the succeeding school years.
 Grade 11 (HS Year 5) will be introduced in SY 20162017, Grade 12 (HS Year 6) in SY
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2017-2018.
 The first batch of students to go through K to 12 will graduate in 2018.

2. Where will the additional two years be added?
 The two years will be added after the existing four -year high school program. This will be
called Senior High School.
Why is the K to 12 program better than the current program?
 K to 12 offers a more balanced approach to learning that will enable children to acquire
and master lifelong learning skills (as against a congested curriculum).
 It will help in freeing parents of the b rden of having to spend for college just to make
u
their children employable.
Will this address the dropout problem?
 The decongested curriculum will allow mastery of competencies and enable students to
better cope with the lessons. This should partly address those who drop out because
they cannot cope with schoolwork.
 The curriculum will be learner -centered, enriched, and responsive to local needs. It will
also allow students to choose electives that suit their interest. This should partly address
those who drop out because of lack of personal interest.
 DepED will also continue to offer programs such as home schooling for elementary
students and the dropout reduction program for high schools. These programs address
the learning needs of marginalized students and learners at risk of dropping out.
How will K to 12 help in ensuring employment for our graduates?
 The K to 12 basic education curriculum will be sufficient to prepare students for work.
 The curriculum will enable students to acquir Certificate of Competency (COCs) and
e
National Certifications (NCs). This will be in accordance to TESDA training regulations.
This will allow graduates to have middle level skills and will offer them better
opportunities to be gainfully employed.
 Thee will be school-industry partnership for techvoc tracks to allow students gain work
r
experience while studying and offer the opportunity to be absorbed by the companies.
How will the K to 12 program help working students (college level)?
 DepED is in co llaboration with CHED to provide more opportunities for working students
to attend classes.
 DepED is working with the Department of Labor and Employment to ensure that jobs will
be available to K to 12 graduates and that consideration will be given to working
students.
How will the K to 12 program help students intending to pursue higher education?
 The K to 12 basic education curriculum will be in accordance with the college readiness
standards from CHED which sets the skills and competencies needed of K to 12 Frequently Asked Questions
K to 12 Pre-Summit Conference
December 2011 K to 12
Basic Education Program
graduates who wish to pursue higher education.
 CHED will download its general education subjects Grades 11 & 12 (HS years 5 & 6)
to
of K to 12 ensuring mastery of core competencies for K to 12 graduates. This may lead
to a reduction in the number of years of college courses resulting to a decrease in
educational expenses of households.
How close is DepED in addressing the resource gaps (i.e. classroom, teachers)?
 We have targeted to close the resource gaps in the next two years.
 Aside from increasing the budget of DepED, we are also enjoying support from local
governments, private partners, and donor agencies.
How about the additional cost to parents?
 Grades 11 and 12 (HS Years 5 and 6) will be offered for free in public schools.
 K to 12 graduates will have higher earning potential since they will be more competent
and skilled compared to graduates of the current 10-year system.
 DepED is in discussion with CHED on the possibility of decreasing the number of years
of certain courses in college.
 K to 12 graduates will have national certification from TESDA, which wilenable them to
l
have higher employment opportunities.
What will happen to the college and universities during the 2-year transition period
(SY 2016-2017 and SY 2017-2018)?
 DepED is in the process of formulating a transition management plan which inclu es d

3. working in collaboration with other educational institutions during the two-year gap. The
arrangements may include using private school facilities and teachers for senior high
school during the transition period.
 DepED is working closely with pr ivate educational institutions to address these transition
management issues.
Will senior high school be implemented in existing high schools or will new schools
be built?
 Existing schools will be used for the additional 2year program. DepED is likewise in
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discussions with CHED, TESDA, and private schools to use their existing facilities during
the transition period and beyond.
Is K to 12 required for private schools as well? Will the same implementation timeline
apply to private schools?
 Since private schools follow the DepED curriculum, they will also be implementing the
12-year basic education program but the implementation plan will differ. This will be
discussed with the representatives of the private schools.
 Private schools are act participants in developing the K to 12 program.
ive
 Note that a number of private schools offer at least 12 years of basic education: 2 years
kindergarten, 6 or 7 years of elementary, and 4 years of high school.
How will the college and technical-vocational courses be adjusted due to the K to 12
curriculum? Will adjustments be made in time for the first graduates of K to 12?
 TESDA will download some of its basic technical competencies while CHED will transfer
the general education subjects to basic education.
 CHED will be releasing its updated college readiness standards which will be the basis
for the competencies in Grades 11 and 12 (HS Years 5 and 6).
 These activities will be completed before SY 20162017.Frequently Asked Questions
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K to 12 Pre-Summit Conference
December 2011 K to 12
Basic Education Program
What will happen to the curriculum? What subjects will be added and removed?
 There will be continuum from Kinder to Grade 12; and to tech ical and higher education.
n
 The current curriculum will be decongested to allow for mastery of learning.
 In Grades 11 and 12 (HS Years 5 and 6), core subjects like Math, Science and English
will be strengthened. Specializations in the students’ areas of interest will also be offered.
 Right now, a technical working group has formulated the new curriculum framework,
standards, and competencies for K to 12. Experts from CHED, TESDA, and other
stakeholders are part of this working group. After this, the changes in terms of subjects
added, removed, and enhanced will be clearer.
What specializations will be offered in senior high school?
 Among the specializations offered will be on academics, middlelevel skills development,
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sports and arts.
 Specializations will also guided by local needs and conditions.
be
How will students choose their specializations?
 Students will undergo several assessments to determine their interests and strengths.
These will include an aptitude test, a career assessment exam, and an occupational
interest inventory for high schools, and should help students decide on their
specialization.
For senior high school, what will happen if majority of our students want to specialize
in agriculture and only one is interested to take math or academics? How will this be
accommodated?
 This is an extreme situation.
 The areas of specialization will be offered according to the resources available in a
locality and the needs of students.
Will teachers be burdened by additional teaching load due to the K to 12 program?
 There will be no additional workload due to the K to 12 program. The Magna Carta for
Public School Teachers provides that teachers should only teach up to six hours a day.
 The decongested K to 12 curriculum will allow teachers to master the context and
competencies that they will develop among the students and will enable them to focus on
their areas of expertise.

4. How will teachers be prepared for the K to 12 program?
 Teachers will be given sufficient in-service training to implement this program. The preservice training for aspiring teachers
will also be modified to conform to the requirements
of the program.
Makati teachers ready for K-12 program
Philippine Daily Inquirer
10:03 pm | Monday, May 28th, 2012
154 9
Teachers assigned in Makati City have been undergoing professional training to enable them to implement the new curriculum
of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) K-12 program.
In a statement, DepEd-Makati officer in charge Priscila de Sagun said the teachers in charge of Grades 1 to 7 had received
training on the K-12 curriculum time for the opening of classes next week.
“The K-12 program hopes to decongest the curriculum by spreading lessons over 12 years instead of cramming them into 10. It
is expected to fill in the deficiencies and strengthen the students’ competencies in core subjects such as English, Math and
Science,” she said.
The program adds two more years to the current 10-year basic education system with secondary education divided into junior
high which consists of four years, and senior high which will last for two years. Miko Morelos
PNoy Launches K + 12 Program
By MADEL R. SABATER
April 24, 2012, 5:27pm
MANILA, Philippines — President Benigno S. Aquino III Tuesday led the launch of the K + 12 Basic Education
Program of the Department of Education (DepEd), which would add two years to the country’s basic education and
increase capabilities among students who would opt to work after graduating from high school.
This, he said, is part of his administration’s efforts to reform the system of education in the country.
Aquino said that instead of compressing students’ learning in a 10-year basic education, the new program would
enable students to further appreciate what they have learned with an additional two years of education.
Also Tuesday, public school teachers asked President Aquino to ―put more funds‖ to the K + 12 Program of the
Department of Education (DepEd) ―to ensure that there is enough funds to properly implement the program.‖
The K +12 begins with kindergarten, six years of elementary education, four years of junior high school, and two
years in senior high school. It will be implemented in all public elementary and high schools nationwide this coming
school year.
According to Aquino, the Philippines used to be the only country in Asia and one of the three countries in the world
left with 10 years of basic education. The other two are in Africa.
―We want a stronger foundation for the next generation,‖ he said in Filipino.
The President, meanwhile, said he is mulling a tablet-based education as a solution against textbook scams.
―We want our reading materials to be tablet-based so that when errors are found, it would be easier to correct and
there would be no need to recall the textbooks,‖ Aquino said.
―We’re just waiting for the prices to go down,‖ he said.
―We are making ways to ensure that it is logged in the system so it would not be a source of corruption,‖ he added.
This, he said, will be part of the DepEd’s P238.8-billion budget for 2012.
DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro, for his part, said there are enough textbooks and school furniture for the coming
school year.
―We have zero back log in textbooks and school furniture for School Year (SY) 2012 to 2013,‖ Luistro said.
It was recalled that in February, President Aquino signed Republic Act (RA) 10157 or the Kindergarten Education
Law, which provides free and compulsory kindergarten education beginning school year 2012 to 2013. Under the this
law, children aged five will be required to take up a year in Kindergarten in preparation for entry to Grade 1.
The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) made the appeal for more funds for public school teachers after the K + 12
Program’s launching in Malacañang.
TDC national spokesman Benjo Basas said teachers continue to express apprehension on the K to 12 program of the
Aquino government, saying the ―system would need enough funds to properly implement the program.‖
―K to 12 is the flagship program of (the Aquino) administration,‖ Basas said. ―Therefore, the education sector should
be given the funds it needs to successfully implement this program,‖ he added.
Basas said their group continues to be wary of the program, challenging the administration to first resolve the existing
problems of the education sector particularly the shortages in much needed resources.
While the DepEd is doing everything to close the gaps – including solicitation from private donors, partnership with
LGUs and indirect contributions from parents and students like in Brigada Eskwela – Basas said ―these small
measures would not be enough considering the ever-growing necessities of public education sector.‖
He said the national government, ―specifically the President should make the first move and put the education budget
in his priorities.‖
Meanwhile, Education Secretary Armin Luistro said the DepEd is continuing to address the shortages in education
resources like textbooks, teachers, classrooms, toilets, and desks.

5. He also reported that by June, DepEd will be able to achieve a 1:1 student to textbook ratio, thereby achieving a zero
backlog in textbooks. "We have also procured over 1 million school seats so when classes open in June, we would
have closed two out of the five input gaps haunting the public school system," he said.
Luistro also called for stakeholders to work together to achieve the collective goal of providing "adequate and equal
opportunities for every Filipino youth to have a decent and honorable way of living."
Sen. Edgardo J. Angara reiterated that the proposed K + 12 Program – and the wholesale changes aimed at
strengthening our educational system – is not only timely, but long overdue.
―The call for educational reforms was sounded off three decades ago, back when I chaired the Congressional
Commission on Education (EDCOM) which recommended the trifocalization of the system into the Department of
Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority (TESDA),‖ Angara said in a statement.
He expressed elation now that through the resolve of the DepEd, ―we will finally start delivering world-class education
to a larger number of Filipinos at relatively no cost to them.‖ (With reports from Ina Hernando Malipot and Rolly T.
Carandang)