DepEd sticks to K-to-12 education

The Department of Education (DepEd) said it will remain steadfast in pushing through with the program to add two more years to high school in 2016 despite a call by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV to suspend its implementation until basic problems in the country’s educational system are resolved. depedcalabarzon.ph photo

MANILA, Philippines–The Department of Education (DepEd) said it will remain steadfast in pushing through with the program to add two more years to high school in 2016 despite a call by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV to suspend its implementation until basic problems in the country’s educational system are resolved.

According to DepEd communication director Patrick Salamat, while the agency recognizes the senator’s concerns, the department holds true to its aim of enhancing and transforming basic education for all Filipinos through the K-to-12 program. The new program makes kindergarten mandatory and adds two years of senior high school to the country’s basic education in line with international standards.

“The Philippine government continues to make substantial investments in the education sector as we roll out the phased implementation of the K-to-12 Basic Education Program,” Salamat said in a statement.

He added that the DepEd was “addressing the prerequisites for (the) successful implementation of the succeeding stages including the introduction of Senior High School in 2016.”

Salamat pointed out that the department is working closely with other government agencies, the private sector and non-government organizations for the success of the K-to-12 program.

In a statement on Tuesday, Trillanes described the K-to-12 program as “overly ambitious,” and sought the deferment of its implementation until fundamental problems in the country’s education system are resolved.

The senator, who embarked on nationwide consultations on the program, said it was “in the best interest of the country to suspend the K-to-12 Program while we continue to face the perennial problems of our education system,” citing the lack of classrooms and materials; the low student-teacher ratio; as well as the low salary of teachers.

“In addition to this is the government’s unpreparedness to the threatened retrenchment of around 85,000 college professors and employees when the program commences in 2016,” Trillanes said.

The senator also noted the continuing problem of insufficient classrooms which he warned could worsen once senior high school starts.