Marcos shares Estrada’s frustration over K-12 program shortfalls

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. – Screengrab from a video posted on his Facebook page.

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said he shares the frustration of Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada over the failure of the Senior High School (SHS) level under the K-12 program to deliver its expected outcomes.

In Part 2 of the BBM Podcast Episode 2, Marcos expressed dismay that the program, implemented more than a decade ago, has failed to provide any real advantage to its graduates.

READ: A decade of tweaking, rethinking: Looking back at K-12 program

“It’s costing parents more because two additional years were added. They still have to pay for enrollment, buy a lot of school supplies, purchase books—everything. Yet after 10 years, there’s no real advantage,” Marcos responded when asked by podcast host and journalist Cheryl Cosim for his thoughts on the program.

“There hasn’t been any advantage; graduates still don’t get jobs. That’s [Estrada’s] frustration—and it’s mine as well,” he added.

Despite this, Marcos said he has directed Education Secretary Sonny Angara to improve the program, particularly to address the issue of job mismatching, which is considered the primary problem among its graduates.

On June 5, Estrada filed Senate Bill No. 3001, noting that a “rationalized basic education program” would better serve learners.

READ: Jinggoy Estrada wants to scrap SHS from PH education system

He proposed a one-year kindergarten program, followed by six years of elementary education and four years of secondary education.

In his bill amending Republic Act No. 10533, also known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, Estrada cited the admission of Department of Education officials that the SHS program “has not yet reached its vision for the K-12 graduates” due to a congested curriculum, overworked teachers and students, and the low employment rate of SHS graduates./mcm