K-to-12 opponents urged to be more vocal

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV NOY MORCOSO/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

As the implementation of the K-to-12 law draws near, some senators are intensifying efforts to challenge the program that adds two more years in secondary education.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes, who has long been critical of the law, said in an interview that he wants those opposed to it to be more vocal about their concerns to make public that there actually many who share the same sentiment about the basic education program.

“We want the people to come out and participate in this move [to challenge the basic education program] so that everybody would know that there are many who are against the K-to-12,” Trillanes said.

The K-to-12 law would add two more years of senior high school beginning 2016.

Earlier, Trillanes backed a coalition of teachers and other school staff members who petitioned the Supreme Court to suspend the K-to-12 law.

Coalition protest

The coalition had announced plans to hold a mass action in May in protest of the program.

Trillanes earlier said he had gone around and consulted with parents who were mostly against the added burden that the senior high school program imposes on them and on their children.

Sen. Pia Cayetano, who chairs the committee on education, arts and culture, earlier said she plans to have a hearing on the matter after the Senate comes back from its summer break in May.

Her younger brother Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano also backed the planned hearings on the K-to-12.

The younger Cayetano said the program was not necessarily a faulty one, but he thinks the country is unprepared for it.

He said the project may be suspended to give the country more time to prepare for it, given the inadequate education facilities.

He cited an earlier study showing that out of 100 first grade students, only 67 finish elementary school. Of these 67, only 64 move on to secondary education, and of these, only 44 complete high school.

More school buildings

“At present, half of students do not graduate from high school, and then you would add two more years. What use would you have for a better educational system if half of students would not graduate?” he said in a recent forum.

He said he would rather see the government focus on building more schools, science laboratories, sports facilities and programs for music and arts, which would help the youth get a more rounded education.

Malacañang and the Department of Education should keep an open mind about the concerns surrounding the law, he said.

These concerns, he said, are being raised not to derail the program but to assess whether this is the proper time to implement it, whether the the government should first address the prevailing problems in the education system or whether an alternative should be considered.

He said one alternative is to add more years at the kindergarten or preschool level instead of an additional two years of high school.

More expensive training He said the ages from 0 to 6 years old are the most crucial when it comes to the development of a child, so it would make sense if the additional years of schooling are required during these period. This would also meet the requirement for 12 years of schooling, he added.

He said one concern about this, however, would be the more expensive training for teachers in that level.

“I am one of those who would support the search for a solution to have stronger, better quality education, but it seems the K-to-12 program would just bring us bigger problems,” he said.