44% of Filipinos not satisfied with K-12 basic education program, survey says

File photo shows students attending a flag raising ceremony before singing the national anthem at a public school in Quezon City. (AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — Forty four percent of Filipinos are dissatisfied with the K to 12 (K-12) education system in the country, a Pulse Asia survey shared Monday showed.

According to the survey conducted on June 24 to 27 and commissioned by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, 25 percent of the 1,200 respondents said they are “somewhat dissatisfied” with the current education system while 19 percent said they are “truly dissatisfied.”

This means a total of 44 percent are considered to be “dissatisfied” with the K-12 program, the survey showed.

The 44 percent dissatisfaction figure is 16 percentage points higher compared to the results of a survey done in September 2019.

The September 2019 survey showed that only 28 percent of respondents were dissatisfied with the K-12 system. 

The satisfaction rate likewise dropped from 50 percent in September 2019 to 39 percent in June 2022, according to the survey.

K-12 review

Gatchalian, who is poised to chair the Senate committee on basic education, arts, and culture in the 19th Congress, said the K-12 program has to be reviewed.

“Malinaw sa boses ng ating mga kababayan na hindi sila kuntento sa programa ng K to 12. Ito ay dahil hindi natutupad ang mga pangako nito at naging dagdag na pasanin lamang ito sa ating mga magulang at mga mag-aaral,” Gatchalian said in a statement.

(The voice of our countrymen is clear, they are not satisfied with the K-12 program. This is because the promises of the program are not being met and this became an additional burden for parents and students.)

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian (Senate PRIB file photo / Albert Calvelo)

Gatchalian filed Senate Resolution No. 5, which seeks an inquiry on the status of the implementation of Republic Act No. 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, also known as the K to 12 Law.

Citing a 2020 discussion paper by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, Gatchalian said that while the K-12 program promised to boost employability among senior high school graduates, only a little over 20 percent of SHS graduates enter the labor force while 70 percent continue with their education.

“Dapat nating suriin nang husto ang pagpapatupad ng K to 12 upang matiyak na natutupad nito ang layuning makapaghatid ng dekalidad na edukasyon at isulong ang pagiging competitive ng ating mga kabataan,” Gatchalian said.

(We should check the implementation of K-12 to ensure that we are meeting its goals of bringing quality education and make our children competitive.)

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