PMA readies for K to 12 too, as alumnus leads war on it

TEACHERS picket at the Mendiola Peace Arch in Manila in October last year calling for the suspension of the implementation of the K-to-12 education reform program that its critics said would bring more hardships to teachers, parents and students.RICHARD A. REYES

The country’s premier military school is adjusting to the K-to-12 education reform program even as one of its alumnus, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, is leading a campaign to suspend its implementation.

On the heels of reforms being carried out by top universities, the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) is changing its curriculum to cope with social and economic integration with other Association of Southeast Nations countries by end of this year.

Educational reforms, highlighted by the K-to-12 Basic Education Law (Republic Act No. 10533), are some of the first steps taken by the government to pursue integration.

But Trillanes, a PMA alumnus, headed the launching of a coalition of teachers, parents and students that is convinced that the country’s educational system is not ready for K to 12.

Among those taking part in the coalition is the group Council of Teachers and Staff of Colleges and Universities in the Philippines.

No vote

Trillanes, a known critic of K to 12, voted against the law that embodied the program after nationwide consultations.

K to 12 extends the 10-year basic education program to 12 years by introducing a senior high school program that equips students with specialized skills.

“The conclusion that can be drawn after going over all the facts is that the Philippines is not ready for K to 12,” said Trillanes in a statement released during the launch of the coalition demanding a suspension of K-to-12 implementation.

“At this point it is more appropriate to call this the K minus 12 program because of the problems besetting the program,” said Trillanes.

No safety nets

He said government inadequacy is glaring in these aspects needed for a successful K-to-12 implementation—resources, tools, classrooms, teachers, preparation and planning, information dissemination and jobs that could accommodate graduates.

The Coalition for K to 12 Suspension, in a manifesto, said the government failed to put in safety nets to assure jobs for 56,771 out of 111,351 college teachers and 22,838 nonteaching employees who would be unemployed because of the program.

“Our goal is to make them realize that our country doesn’t need the K-to-12 program and the people cannot afford it,” Trillanes said in his statement.

“The present system worked for the earlier generations, and there is no reason why it shouldn’t work for the present crop of students,” said Trillanes.

“We just need to fill shortages in classrooms, teachers, desks and books, and increase the salaries of teachers,” he added.

At the PMA, Col. Joseph Villanueva, head of academic group, said the academy would need to let go of as many as 36 general education subjects in its curriculum for cadets since these subjects, under K to 12, would be introduced in senior high school programs.

No list of subjects

But no action has been taken by the PMA yet because no final list of subjects to be offered for the additional high school years—Grades 11 and 12—has been given the academy yet.

He said PMA, though, does not have the same problems as other schools over a two-year gap that would take place when no freshman enrolls next year.

Villanueva said PMA’s recruitment program has targeted top high school achievers but many cadets entering the academy are college sophomores.

In the last five years, only about 8 percent of PMA applicants are fresh high school graduates, he said.

Prof. Rene Luis Tadle, also a leader of the Coalition for K to 12 Suspension, said his group had conducted consultations nationwide and found “the country’s education system is woefully ill-prepared for this program.” With reports from Kimberlie Quitasol and Vincent Cabreza, Inquirer Northern Luzon