Tanggol Wika group asks SC to stop K-12 program

PROFESSORS from universities and colleges, national artist, professors and lawmakers or the Alyansa ng mag Tagapagtanggol ng Wikang Filipino (Tanggol Wika) on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to stop the implementation of the government’s K-12 program, a national 12-year basic education program.

Because of the K-12 program, petitioners said a new curriculum without the subjects Filipino, Literature and Philippine Government and Constitution has been implemented by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) through CHED Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 20.

The petitioners said the CMO disregarded the pro-national language spirit of the framers of the Constitution, the Charter’s emphasis on nationalism and cultural awareness as core values of Philippine education, and its pro-labor provisions that give workers – including teachers and workers in the education sector – the right to participate in policy-making activities.

The petitioners claim that they were never consulted in the crafting of the assailed CMO.

The group also asserts that the CMO violates Republic Act 7104 (Organic Act of the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino/KWF/Commission on the Filipino Language), Republic Act No. 232 (Education Act of 1982), and Republic Act No. 7356 (Organic Act of the National Commission on Culture and the Arts/NCCA).

This is the second petition filed with  the Supreme Court assailing the legality of the K-12 program.

The K-12 program dictates a year of kindergarten, six years of elementary school, four years of junior high school, and two years of senior high school. It is set to be fully implemented in 2016.

Petitioners include professors from University of the Philippines (UP)-Manila -Diliman, -Los Baños, Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), De La Salle University (DLSU)-Manila and -Dasmariñas, University of Santo Tomas (UST), Philippine Normal University (PNU), Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), Pamantasang Lungsod ng Marikina (PLMar), Pamantasang Lungsod ng Pasig (PLP), Quezon City Polytechnic University (QCPU), University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), San Beda College, University of the East (UE), Far Eastern University (FEU), Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST) student leaders, union leaders, writers, cultural workers, and concerned citizens, including National Artist for Literature and University of the Philippines Professor Emeritus, Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera, and ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. Antonio “Tonchi” Tinio, Anakpawis Partylist Rep. Fernando “Ka Pando” Hicap and Kabataan Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon. AC