It seems that the Filipinos are still divided on approving and disapproving the implementation of DepEd's K+12. Personally my initial view on this is that it would be beneficial to those who would like to pursue graduate school outside the country. Since primary and secondary education in the Philippines is currently squeezed into ten years, with the exception of a few schools offering 7th grade, most graduates who continue their studies abroad will have to take up a year or more of school in order to align with the international standards. Al
so, graduates will become more marketable in the global scale as their competency and skills will be honed in the additional two years of secondary education even before they enter college.
It was only later that I figured out a few disadvantages of the aforementioned project.
1. Just like any other national project, it gives some perverse government officials a lot of opportunities to pocket a share of the budget allocated for this.
2. Even without the additional year levels in high schools, many schools (especially public schools) already lack classrooms and other facilities to hold classes. This might result to more night shifts for the students or a few more year levels would have to share the same classroom.
3. The ratio of teachers to students have always been low. This could worsen the problem if not addressed before or during the implementation of K+12.
4. The lengthened secondary education could discourage some students from entering high school. The fact that you'd have to work more to earn your allowance two more years can entirely discourage students from attending in high schools.
5. MORE EXPENSES! Parents would have to break their backs working for a few more years.
Despite all these, I believe that the K+12 will have long term effects of improving lives in our country. I remember my statistics professor, Dr. Roberto Raymundo, telling us that we can't simply use the same formula that gives us bad results. He was referring to the current curriculum that produces deteriorating quality of education. He also said that this program will not only benefit those who plan on working abroad but those who will be working here as well. He emphasized that the program will help the country produce more globally competitive workers so investors will have more confidence in hiring them. This will also equip even high school graduates with the skills that will help them qualify for the jobs available in the market. He explained that as it is, parents still pay expenses for their children to graduate at least high school and their kids end up unemployed high school graduates. If K+12 is properly implemented, the percentage of educated unemployed could decrease.
When Dr. Raymundo mentioned that the K+12 will also prepare high school students to become emotionally mature individuals before entering the tertiary level, I instantly nodded. He cited that he has observed students who only take their studies seriously at their second year or later years in college. I was struck by this as I have also experienced the difference between high school subjects and college courses. I definitely did not expect college to be as difficult as it is. I even flunked a math subject on my first year. I strongly agree that a few more years in high school will enable most of the high schools all over the country to offer subjects like Pre-Calculus, Drafting, Foreign Languages, etc. which my high school did not have the time to include in our curriculum.
I used to tease my younger cousins who'll be affected by this program. Now, I somehow envy them as I think of the possible interesting subjects that I might be missing. I'd surely love another year of Foreign Language, Literature and Music. I'd say a Pre-Calculus subject would have helped me a lot in college.
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