K to 12 Curriculum

JOSEPH R. UANIAEducation Program Supervisor

What is the K to 12 Program?

•The K to 12 Program covers 13 years of basic education with the following key stages:• Kindergarten to Grade 3• Grades 4 to 6• Grades 7 to 10 (Junior High School)• Grades 11 and 12 (Senior High

School)

K to 12 General Information

Why are we now implementing 12 years of basic education?

•The Philippines is the last country in Asia and one of only three countries worldwide with a 10-year pre-university cycle (Angola and Djibouti are the other two).•A 12-year program is found to be the best period for learning under basic education. It is also the recognized standard for students and professionals globally.

What has been done to get ready for K to 12? Are we really ready for K to 12?

•SY 2011-2012: Universal Kindergarten implementation begins•SY 2012-2013: Enhanced curriculum for Grades 1-7 implemented•2013: K to 12 enacted into Law•2014: Curriculum for Grades 11-12 finished

RA 10533Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013

An Act Enhancing the Philippine Basic Education System by Strengthening Its Curriculum and Increasing the Number of Years for Basic Education, Appropriating Funds Therefor and for Other Purposes

.”

DepED VisionWe dream of Filipinos

who passionately love their countryand whose values and competencies

enable them to realize their full potentialand contribute meaningfully to building the

nation.As a learner-centered public institution,

the Department of Educationconsistently improves itself

to better serve its stakeholders.

-2013

DepED Mission

To protect and promote the right of every Filipino to quality, equitable, culture-based and complete basic education where:

Students learn in a child-friendly, gender-sensitive,

safe and motivating environment

Teachers facilitate learning and constantly nurture every learner

-2013

Administrators and staff, as stewards of the institution,

ensure an enabling and supportive environment

for effective learning to happen.

Family, community and other stakeholders are

actively engaged and share responsibility for

developing life-long learners.-2013

DepED Core ValuesMaka-Diyos

Maka-tao

Maka-kalikasan

Maka-bansa

Pananampalataya

Pagdama at pag-unawa sa damdamin ng

iba

Pagpapahalaga sa kalikasan

Pananagutang panlipunan

Pag-asa Paggalang Pangangalaga ng kapaligiran

Pagkakapantay-pantay ng lahat ng tao

Pagmamahal Kabutihan Pagmamalasa

kit sa kabutihan ng nakararami

Espirituwalidad Pagmamalasakit sa kapwa -2013

Our

Enhanced basic education curriculum standards & principles

1. Learner-centered, inclusive & developmentally appropriate2. Relevant, responsive and research-based3. Culture-sensitive4. Contextualized and global5. Use pedagogical approaches: constructivist, inquiry-based, reflective,

collaborative and integrative6. Adhere to the principles & framework of MTB-MLE

-Section 8.3, RA 10533

Enhanced basic education curriculum standards & principles

7. Use the spiral progression approach to ensure mastery of knowledge & skills in each level8. Be flexible enough to enable and allow schools to localize, indigenize and enhance the same based on their educational and social contexts.

-Section 8.3, RA 10533

PEDAGOGY

• The learners must be given opportunities to construct their own knowledge and understanding of what is taught out of their experiences.

Constructivist

• The learners are encouraged to become active investigators by identifying arrangement of information, understanding the sources of information and evaluating the objectivity of information.

Inquiry-Based

• The learners are encouraged to engage in a process of self-observation and self-evaluation.Reflective

• The learners must be exposed to interactive activities and teamwork.Collaborativ

e• The learners must see the

complementation of the topics across learning areas and contextualized learning in real life situations.

Integrative

•This 2015, we are getting ready for the implementation of Senior High School (SHS) in SY 2016-2017.•We are on the fifth year of the implementation of the K to 12 Program. Our last mile is the Senior High School. All 221 divisions of the Department of Education (DepEd) have finished planning and have figures on enrolment a year in advance. These plans were reviewed by a separate team and finalized upon consultation with other stakeholders.

•Classrooms: DepEd has built 66,813 classrooms from 2010 to 2013. There are 33,608 classrooms completed and undergoing construction in 2014. As of DepEd is planning to establish 5,899 Senior High Schools nationwide. As of April 30, 2015, DepEd has issued provisional permits to 1,866 private schools set to offer Senior High School in 2016.•Teachers: From 2010-2014, DepEd has filled 128,105 new teacher items. DepEd is targeting two kinds of teachers: those who will teach the core subjects, and those who will teach the specialized subjects per track. DepEd will hire 37,000 teachers for Senior High School for 2016 alone.

• Textbooks: Learning materials are being produced for elementary to junior high while textbooks for Senior High School (which has specialized subjects) are being bid out.

• Curriculum: The K to 12 curriculum is standards- and competence-based. It is inclusive and built around the needs of the learners and the community. The curriculum is done and is available on the DepEd website. It is the first time in history that the entire curriculum is digitized and made accessible to the public.

•Private SHS: There are 2,199 private schools cleared to offer Senior High School and over 200 more being processed.

How will K to 12 affect the college curriculum?•The College General Education curriculum will have fewer units. Subjects that have been taken up in Basic Education will be removed from the College General Education curriculum.•Details of the new GE Curriculum may be found in  CHED Memorandum Order No. 20, series of 2013.

I’ve been hearing that a lot of people have not been consulted regarding K to 12. Is this true?•DepEd has always been transparent in the planning and implementation of K to 12. There have been regular consultations with various sectors since 2010, before the law was passed, during the crafting of the IRR, and during implementations. DepEd representatives have also attended various fora and conferences, including legislative inquiries, regarding K to12. We are open to criticisms and suggestions regarding this.

How can I help improve basic education?

•Private partners can donate through the Adopt-A-School program. A 150% tax incentive will be provided for every contribution.•Help spread awareness and information on the K to 12 Program.

CurriculumHow will the current curriculum be affected by K to 12? What subjects will be added and removed?•The current curriculum has been enhanced for K to 12 and now gives more focus to allow mastery of learning.•For the new Senior High School grades (Grades 11 and 12), core subjects such as Mathematics, Science and Language will be strengthened. Specializations or tracks in students’ areas of interest will also be offered.•Changes to specific subjects are detailed in the K to 12 Curriculum Guides, viewable and downloadable at bit.ly/kto12curriculum.

How will schools implementing special curricular programs such as science high schools, high schools for the arts, and technical vocational schools be affected by K to 12?•Schools with special curricular programs will implement enriched curriculums specific to their program (e.g. science, arts) following the K to 12 standards.

How will multi-grade teaching be affected by K to 12?

•Multi-grade teaching will continue and will use the K to 12 Curriculum.

How will specific learning groups such as indigenous people, Muslim learners, and people with special needs be affected by K to 12?

•The K to 12 Curriculum was designed to address diverse learner needs, and may be adapted to fit specific learner groups.

Which Mother Tongue will be used as the language of instruction in multi-cultural areas?

• The principle of MTB-MLE is to use the language that learners are most comfortable and familiar with; therefore, the common language in the area or lingua franca shall be used as the language of instruction.

• There are currently 19 mother tongue languages:• Akianon• Bahasa Sug• Bikol• Cebuano• Chabacano

• Chabacano• Hiligaynon• Iloko• Ivatan• Kapampangan• Kinaray-a• Maguindanaoan• Meranao• Pangasinense• Sambal• Surigaonon• Tagalog• Waray• Yakan• Ybanag

Kindergarten ConcernUnder K to 12, will Kindergarten be a pre-

requisite for entering Grade 1?•Yes. Republic Act No. 10157, or the Kindergarten Education Act, institutionalizes Kindergarten as part of the basic education system and is a pre-requisite for admission to Grade 1.

With K to 12, will there be an overlap between the Day Care program of Local Government Units (LGUs) and DepEd Kindergarten?•No. Day Care Centers of LGUs take care of children aged 4 or below, while the DepEd Kindergarten program is intended for children who are at least 5 years old by October 31st of the present school year.

With K to 12, should schools prepare permanent records for Kindergarten students?

•Yes. While the assessment on readiness skills of students in Kindergarten is not academically driven, a good measure of the child's ability to cope with formal schooling is needed for future learning interventions.

Who is in charge of Kindergarten teacher compensation?

•DepEd is the main agency that employs and pays Kindergarten teachers in public schools. However, there are LGUs that help in the Kindergarten program and provide honoraria for additional Kindergarten teachers in public schools.

Senior High SchoolWhat is Senior High School?•Senior High School (SHS) covers the last two years of the K to 12 program and includes Grades 11 and 12. In SHS, students will go through a core curriculum and subjects under a track of their choice.

Will SHS mean two more years of High School?•Yes. These two additional years will equip learners with skills that will better prepare them for the future, whether it be:• Employment• Entrepreneurship• Skills Development (Further Tech-Voc training)• Higher Education (College)

Will the additional two years of High School mean additional expenses?• Senior High School “completes” basic education by

making sure that the high school graduate is equipped for work, entrepreneurship, or higher education. This is a step up from the 10-year cycle where high school graduates still need further education (and expenses) to be ready for the world.

•SHS will be offered free in public schools and there will be a voucher program in place for public junior high school completers as well as ESC beneficiaries of private high schools should they choose to take SHS in private institutions.•This means that the burden of expenses for the additional two years need not be completely shouldered by parents.

What will I learn in SHS that the current high school curriculum doesn’t include?•Senior High School covers eight (8) learning areas as part of its core curriculum, and adds specific tracks (similar to college courses) based on four (4) disciplines:• Academic (which includes Business, Science & Engineering,

Humanities & Social Science, and a General Academic strand)

• Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (with highly specialized subjects with TESDA qualifications)

• Sports• Arts & Design

•SHS Students may pick a track based on how he or she will want to proceed after high school graduation. You can learn more about the tracks and strands (as well as their curriculum) in the K to 12 Curriculum Guides.

Will SHS ensure employment for me?•SHS cannot guarantee employment; but it creates the following opportunities:• Standard requirements will be applied to make sure graduates know

enough to be hirable.• You will now be able to apply for TESDA Certificates of Competency

(COCs) and National Certificates (NCs) to provide you with better work opportunities.

• Partnerships with different companies will be offered for technical and vocational courses. 

• You can now get work experience while studying; and companies can even hire you after you graduate.

•Entrepreneurship courses will now be included. Instead of being employed, you can choose to start your own business after graduating, or choose to further your education by going to college.

How will SHS affect my college education?•SHS, as part of the K to 12 Basic Curriculum, was developed in line with the curriculum of the Commission of Higher Education (CHED) – the governing body for college and university education in the Philippines.•This ensures that by the time you graduate from Senior High School, you will have the standard knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to go to college.

How will students choose their Senior High School specializations?•Students will undergo assessments to determine their strengths and interests. These will include an aptitude test, a career assessment exam, and an occupational interest inventory for high schools. Career advocacy activities will also be conducted to help guide students in choosing their specialization or track.

How will student specializations/tracks be distributed across Senior High Schools?•Specializations or tracks to be offered will be distributed according to the resources available in the area, the needs and interests of most students, and the opportunities and demands of the community.

Where will Senior High School be implemented? Will my school offer SHS?

•Existing public and private schools, including colleges, universities and technical institutions may offer Senior High School.•There may also be stand-alone Senior High Schools established by DepEd or private organizations.

Is SHS really necessary? Must I go to SHS?•Yes, according to the law. Beginning SY 2016-2017, you must go through Grades 11 and 12 to graduate from High School.

If I choose not to go to SHS, what happens to me?•You will be a Grade 10 completer, but not a high

school graduate. Elementary graduates are those who finish Grade 6; high school graduates must have finished Grade 12.

Where can I find out more about SHS?•You can find out more at the K to 12 page. You can also ask your school administration (public or private) to contact the DepEd division office to help organize an orientation seminar.

How will SHS Affect me? Will I lose my Job?

Teachers•No high school teachers will be displaced.•The Department of Education (DepEd) is in constant coordination with CHED and DOLE on the actual number of affected faculty from private higher education institutions (HEIs). The worst-case scenario is that 39,000 HEI faculty will lose their jobs over 5 years. This will only happen if none of the HEIs will put up their own Senior High Schools, which is since we are currently processing over 1,000 SHS applications from private institutions.

•DepEd is also hiring more than 30,000 new teachers in 2016 alone. The Department will prioritize affected faculty who will apply as teachers or administrators in our SHS.

Why not just realign the K to 12 budget to increase teachers’ salaries?•There is no "K to 12" item in the national budget per se. The ongoing implementation of the K to 12 Program involves the provision of basic inputs such as classrooms, teacher items, textbooks, school seats, and toilets. There are also items in the budget for computerization of classrooms, science and math equipment, and teacher training. K to 12 is a reform in the manner and content of education; it is not a single project with a line item budget.•There are also ongoing discussions taking place regarding a raise in the salary of public school teachers and all other government employees.

I am a graduate of science/math/engineering/course. Can I apply as an SHS teacher?•Yes. If you are willing to teach on a part-time basis, you will not be required to take and pass the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET).•If you want a permanent position, you will need to take and pass the LET within five (5) years after your date of hiring to remain employed full-time.

I am a hired TVI course graduate/HEI faculty/practitioner. Can I apply as an SHS teacher?•Graduates of technical-vocational courses must have the necessary certification issued by TESDA and undergo training to be administered by DepEd or HEIs.•Faculty of colleges and universities must be full-time professors and be holders of a relevant Bachelor’s degree.•DepEd and private schools may also hire practitioners with expertise in the specialized learning areas offered by the K to 12 Program as part-time teachers.•Faculty of TVIs and HEIs will be given priority in hiring for the transition period from September 2013 until SY 2021-2022.

I am a practitioner. Can I apply as an SHS teacher?•You may teach as part-time teacher in Senior High School under the track subjects. We encourage you to consider this to share your valuable knowledge and experience to our SHS learners.

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