Hoping to bring more relevant education to Filipino students, the Department of Education (DepEd) is set to introduce this year a more “learner-centered” curriculum for Grade 1 and first year high school, Education Secretary Armin Luistro has said.
The move is part of a phased curriculum revamp for the gradual implementation of K-12 (Kindergarten to 12 years), the Aquino administration’s flagship education program that aims to produce highly qualified high school graduates by extending the 10-year education cycle by two years.
“We will implement a fresh, enjoyable, dynamic, learner-centered curriculum,” Luistro told the Inquirer.
“The extension is just [in terms of the years] but the real revolution in education is to make the curriculum so attractive, enjoyable and a real learning experience for the students,” he said.
The new Grade 1 and first year high school program will debut in June 2012.
Luistro noted that the new curriculum, being prepared by top officials and experts from the academe, was designed to deviate from the traditional learning content that is “heavy on memorization” and had “very little on critical thinking.”
“It’s very teacher-centered. And so when the teacher is absent, the students can no longer study … they don’t have the initiative,” Luistro said of the current curriculum.
DepEd intended to change that by starting where learners were, Luistro said.
Key in this shift is the institutionalization of mother tongue-based teaching, where students from Grades 1 to 3 will be taught in their native language, a method proven to be more effective in teaching. DepEd is currently developing learning materials in the country’s major regional languages.
Luistro said first graders would also be required to go to school for only half a day, or four hours of basic learning.
“For Grade 1, we will only require them to go to school for half a day. Going to school must not be a burden for them. They have to enjoy it. It’s critical that they like going to school,” said the education chief.
For high school, meanwhile, DepEd is developing a new first year curriculum that is more interactive. For instance, science learning will be based on “science of everyday life.”
“We’re making sure the curriculum is really responsive to what industry is looking for and what students will enjoy,” Luistro said.
DepEd started the phased implementation of K-12 with the expansion of the kindergarten program in the current school year. Targeting 5-year-olds, the institutionalization of the public kindergarten system aims to better prepare first-time learners for basic education.
DepEd aims to complete the implementation of K-12 with the addition of two years of senior high school by 2018.