Gatchalian on K-12: Are we producing graduates that are employable?
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian. INQUIRER file photo / EARVIN PERIAS
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday said he seeks to improve the state of the K-12 education program in the country to ensure that it is being implemented properly.
Gatchalian, who is poised to chair the basic education committee in the Senate, expressed his support toward the education program, calling the program a necessity to help the country become globally competitive.
The senator, however, said that he wants to check if the program is working and being implemented properly.
“I want to put accountability in education, meaning, is K-12 working for our Filipino people? We added two years in K-12, adding two years also means adding costs to Filipino parents but are we producing graduates that are employable? Are we producing graduates that are needed in the industry? Are we producing graduates that excel in our colleges?” Gatchalian said in an interview over CNN Philippines.
Gatchalian explained that if the program is not executed properly, the program could only be a “burden” to both the government and Filipino families.
“I am for K-12, in fact, when I was in the local government I really felt that K-12 is necessary to make us competitive globally but K-12 in itself, if not executed properly, can be added burden for both government and also the parents so we have to make sure that K-12 is functioning and being executed properly,” Gatchalian said.
“We want to make sure that K-12 is performing and is being implemented properly. It’s a huge program, very complex program because it starts from Grade 1 all the way to senior high school and at the end of the process it will produce graduates who can be employed and graduates who can go to college. So we need the right measures to make sure that it’s performing properly,” the senator added.
Divided into two
Gatchalian said the Senate has divided the education committee into two — the commitee on basic education and the committee on higher education and technical vocation.
Gatchalian said he will be the chairman of the basic education committee while Senator Joel Villanueva will chair the higher education committee.
“We will create two because in the lower house that is the set up so we are following that set up and it just so happens that I came from the local government which is largely centered in basic education and Joel, TESDA ang kanyang background so yung skills namin is really fit for basic education and Senator Joel for higher education,” Gatchalian said. /jpv
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