Palace to push on with efforts to review K-12

MANILA, Philippines  — Malacañang will not stop efforts to review the K to 12 or 12-year basic education program in the country.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo declared this after Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said on Sunday that they would review the effectiveness of the K-12, citing that “the House [is] of the consensus that K-12 is not living up to its promise.”

Sought for comment, Panelo said, “we will leave it to the wisdom of Congress.”

ORIENTATION Students of Barangka National High School in Marikina City attend an orientation meeting on the entry of Grade 11 students under the K-12 program. Classes open today in public elementary and high schools nationwide. NIÑO JESUSORBETA

In a speech at San Beda University’s commencement exercises last year, President Rodrigo Duterte said that his daughter, Veronica, doesn’t want the K-12  and had asked him to scrap the program.

In his second State of the Nation Address (Sona) on July 24, 2017, Duterte affirmed his commitment to implement the K-12.

“We have sustained investments in higher education and committed to the full implementation of the K to 12 basic [education] program,” he said.

The Department of Education has a proposed budget of  P551.7 billion for 2020, wherein P650 million was allocated for the  K to 12./ac