HOW DID WE COME UP WITH THE K-12 CURRICULUM?

PHILIPPINES CREATES OPPORTUNITIES IN OVERHAUL OF K-12 EDUCATION SYSTEM

The Philippines is undergoing a major overhaul to bring it in line with education systems
worldwide, starting with the K-12 sector. This change to domestic education policy has far-reaching
consequences and is important for international educational institutions to consider when looking for
potential new student recruitment markets.
With the new 12-year curriculum in place, future Filipino students will be ready and better
equipped to join overseas universities at the undergraduate level. And with a K-12 student population
of 20.67 million, which will only increase over the next 20 years (see ICEF Monitor’s article “New
2035 enrolment forecasts place East Asia and the Pacific in the lead“), the Philippines is shaping up
to be an attractive recruitment destination.

Changes to basic education

The K-12 Basic Education Program aims to provide every Filipino child with the education s/he
needs to compete in a global context.
In May, President Benigno Aquino of the Philippines signed into law a basic education curriculum
that will see a mandatory kindergarten year and two additional senior high school years added to
what was a 10-year education curriculum to make basic education 12 years. The programme has
been adopted not only in schools in the Philippines, but also in Filipino schools abroad that follow the
department’s curriculum. Gulfnews reports:
“According to Aquino, the K-12 programme will pave the way for an ever brighter future for young
Filipinos by equipping them with basic education up to international standards.”
The goal of the new curriculum is to give Filipino students enough time to master skills and
concepts so that they are ready for tertiary education when the time comes.
Kindergarten was previously optional, and advocates of the K-12 programme argue that
students who went to kindergarten are better prepared for primary education than those who did not.
In addition, the K-12 programme “provides for the use of the ‘mother tongue’ language as the
medium of instruction for students in the basic and lower years to facilitate and expedite learning.”
This fabulous interactive map of all public schools in the country could be a useful tool in
planning a recruitment strategy. It contains data on the school’s budget, enrolment statistics,
education indicators, number of teaching personnel, furniture, textbooks, classrooms, plus the water
and power supply of some 45,000 schools nationwide.

10 Point Education Agenda

The move to the K-12 policy comes as part of the 10 Point Education Agenda which was set out
by the current government administration. The K-12 Basic Education Program, universal
kindergarten and instruction in mother-tongue languages are but three of the ten points Aquino’s
administration want to implement in order to improve the overall quality of education in Filipino
schools.
The other seven points include:
 Establish the Madaris Education as a sub-system in the current education system;
 Make every child a reader by Grade 1;
 Improve science and mathematics;
 Expand government assistance to private education;
 Better textbooks;
 Build more schools in cooperation with local government units (LGUs);
 Re-introduce technical and vocational education in public high schools.

Building classrooms and adding teachers

As mentioned, one of the ten points on the Education Agenda aims to address severe
overcrowding in Philippine schools and the shortage of classrooms.
In October of last year, the Department of Education signed an agreement “with two winning
consortia which will undertake the construction of close to 10,000 classrooms.”
The department’s Public Private Partnership for School Infrastructure Project (PSIP) will give
schools the physical space they need and “provides the private sector the business opportunity to
invest in the design, construction and maintenance of classrooms.”
Philippine Education Secretary Armin A. Luistro has said he hopes that by doing so, the
classrooms would stand as a testament to Filipino capability and efficiency. Progress is well
underway; construction of more than 9,000 classrooms began in March of this year.
But making more room for students is only half the solution; someone has to teach them and as
of early last month, the Department of Education still hadn’t filled over 61,500 teaching positions.
An increase in student enrolment which caused the shortage of teachers was due to an increase
in kindergarten students – a result of the new K-12 curriculum, as well as students who were formerly
enrolled in private school transferring to public school because of tuition fee hikes.
Student enrolment in 2012/3 stood at 20.67 million: 1.77 million kindergarten students, 13.26
million elementary students, and 5.64 million high school students.
For foreign education providers, this lack of qualified teachers could mean an opportunity to
partner with institutions in the Philippines to develop a teacher-training programme or qualification.

Increased focus on vocational education

A final point on the 10 Point Education Agenda calls for a re-introduction of vocational and
technical education in high schools, which has been designed to give Filipino students practical skills
to gain employment after graduation – a key component in tackling the high youth unemployment
rate in the Philippines.
Some advocates are calling for the adoption of the German model of apprenticeship. The
Manilla Bulletin reported:
“The Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) wants the country to incorporate Germany’s
system of dual technical-vocational education into the K-12 basic education programme.”
It is hoped that adopting the German model would help address the skills mismatch between
Filipino graduates and the jobs available. Ramon del Rosario, chairman of the PBEd, has said now is
the time to implement the apprenticeship system, because of the start of the K-12 curriculum: “It is a
good time because of the development of the senior high school curriculum and that will have a track
towards technical vocational education.”
In May, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) announced it had
completed the K-12 technical vocational curriculum, and everything was in place for the start of the
new school year.
 TESDA Secretary Joel Villanueva said, “Technical vocational education and training (TVET) will
play a central role in the new education model that prepares students for tertiary education,
middle-skills development, employment and entrepreneurship.” Courses include automotive
servicing, horticulture, welding, consumer electronics, dressmaking/tailoring, carpentry, food
processing and beauty care.
With such a strong focus on promoting technical-vocational education, foreign providers who are
looking to work in the Philippines might want to consider how they can contribute to this
development.

The Philippines as a study destination

Like many of its neighbouring countries, the Philippines has its eye on becoming a study
destination of choice for students from the Asia-Pacific region.
In January of this year, the Philippine Bureau of Immigration reported that of the 203,753
foreigners in the country, 47,478 are studying in schools and universities across the country (which is
14% higher than the 41,443 foreigners who applied in 2011). The bulk of those (31,000) are under
the age of 18 and studying at an elementary or high school or on a short-term (less than 1 year)
course.
The Bureau’s Commissioner Ricardo David Jr said: “Our country is fast emerging as a new
educational hub in the Asia-Pacific region. More and more foreigners are coming here to study and it
demonstrates recognition of the improved quality of our educational system.” He attributed the influx
of foreign students to the quality of teaching and the use of English as the medium of instruction.
Some of those students chose the Philippines to study English, and the government is hoping to
boost ESL student numbers by making it easier for them to stay and learn.
In June, the Bureau of Immigration launched a long-stay tourist visa which allows holders to stay
for up to six months – plenty of time to spend studying on a language course.
Last year, ICEF Monitor reported that for international students studying English in Australia, the
Philippines had entered the competition as a destination option for the first time in 2011. Backing that
up, an article in The PIE News quotes Ruth Tizon, Programme Director of the Philippines ESL Tour
Program, as saying,
“The Philippines can compete with the US, UK or Australia as an ideal destination for studying
the English language. Aside from its large English-speaking population [93.5% of Filipinos speak
English well], competent schools and faculty, the Philippines has a rich cultural heritage, offers
diverse tourism attractions and activities, and warmth and hospitality not found anywhere else in the
world.”

REFERENCES
https://monitor.icef.com/2013/08/philippines-creates-opportunities-in-overhaul-of-k-12-education
-system/
 DO 11, S. 1989 – IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW SECONDARY EDUCATION CURRICULUM
UNDER THE 1989 SECONDARY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AMENDED BY DO 32, S. 1991 –
CORRIGENDUM TO DECS ORDER NO. 11, S. 1989 (IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW
SECONDARY EDUCATION CURRICULUM UNDER THE 1989 SECONDARY EDUCATION
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS) DO 66, S. 1992 – CORRIGENDUM TO DECS ORDER NO. 11, S.
1989 (IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW SECONDARY EDUCATION CURRICULUM UNDER THE
1989 SECONDARY EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM)

February 20, 1989

DO 11, s. 1989
Implementation of the New Secondary Education Curriculum under the 1989 Secondary
Development Program

1. The 1989 Secondary Education Development Program (SEDP) is a response to the following
needs:
i. Continue the pupil development started by the Program for Decentralized Educational
Development (PRODED);
ii. Improve the quality of high school graduates and internal efficiency of the System; and
iii. Expand access to quality secondary education.
2. The New Secondary Education Curriculum (NSEC) of the SEDP is
cognitive-affective-manipulative based. Focus is on substantive and process content, values
development, productivity and technology.
3. The eight subject areas in the NSEC are:
i. English
ii. Filipino
iii. Mathematics
iv. Araling Panlipunan
v. Science and Technology
vi. Edukasyong Pangkalusugan,
vii. Technology and Home Economics
viii. Pangkatawan at Musika (Physical Education, Health and Music)
ix. (Values Education)
The implementation of Technology and Home Economics (THE) is deferred for school year
1989-1990. Only Regional Leader Schools and selected tryout schools will conduct the tryout of the
new materials for THE for school year 1989-1990. All other secondary schools shall continue the
teaching of Practical Arts until official notice is released.
4. The NSEC shall be implemented in all types of public and private high schools, including technical
and vocational institutions and high school departments of state colleges and universities starting the
school year 1989-1990.
5. The following timetable indicates the implementation of the NSEC by year level:
School Year Level
i. 1989 – 1990 First Year
ii. 1990 – 1991 Second Year
iii.1991 – 1992 Third Year
iv.1992 – 1993 Fourth Year
6. The legal basis and salient features of the NSEC are included in Inclosures Nos. 1 and 2 to this
Order, respectively. Guidelines for effective implementation are indicated in Inclosure No. 3 to this
Order.
7. A separation Order on the rating scheme shall be issued by this Office.
8. Immediate dissemination of this Order is desired.

BASIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM IN THE PHILIPPINES

The basic education curriculum in the Philippines contains mother tongue- based multilingual
education, universal kindergarten, college and livelihood readiness and specialized upper secondary
education. The curriculum also features spiral progression and contextualization and enhancement,
which helps make the curriculum more relevant to the students.

Basic Education Curriculum

 According to Sec. of Education Raul Roco, the 2002 BEC was based on a 16- year study
(starting in 1986).
 The implementation of the 2002 Basic Education Curriculum was announced in DepEd Order No.
25, s. 2002, issued on June 17, 2002.
 The actual implementing guidelines were found in DepEd Order No. 43, s. 2002, dated Aug. 29,
2002
 Less than a year later (on June 12, 2002), a new curriculum (the Revised BEC) was signed into
law.
 Implementation of RBEC was based on Executive Order No. 46, which in turn was based on the
recommendations of the Philippine Commission on Educational Reforms (PCER), created on
Dec. 7, 1998.
 “The restricting of the curriculum is part of an ongoing effort to improve the quality of learning.
We are focusing on the basics of improving literacy and numeracy while inculcating values
across learning areas to make it dynamic.” (Raul Rococo)
 The 2002 BEC is a restricting and not a sweeping change of the elementary and secondary
curricula (NESC & NSEC)

4Features of BEC / RBEC

 Greater emphasis on helping every learner become a successful reader.
 Emphasis on interactive/ collaborative learning approaches.
 Emphasis on the use of integrative learning approaches.
 Teaching of values in all learning areas.
 Development of self-reliant and patriotic citizens.
 Development of creative and critical thinking skills.

K TO 12 PROGRAM
The K to 12 Program covers Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (six years of primary
education, four years of Junior High School, and two years of Senior High School [SHS]) to provide
sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for
tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship.
SALIENT FEATURES
 Strengthening Early Childhood Education
(Universal Kindergarten)
 Making the Curriculum Relevant to Learners
(Contextualization and Enhancement)
 Ensuring Integrated and Seamless Learning
(Spiral Progression)
 Building Proficiency through Language (Mother
Tongue-Based Multilingual Education)
 Gearing Up for the Future (Senior High School)
 Nurturing the Holistically Developed Filipino
(College and Livelihood Readiness, let
Century Skills)

STRENGTHENING EARLY CHILDHOOD

EDUCATION (UNIVERSAL KINDERGARTEN)
Every Filipino child now has access to early
childhood education through Universal Kindergarten.
At 5 years old, children start schooling and are given the means to slowly adjust to formal education.
Research shows that children who underwent Kindergarten have better completion rates than
those who did not. Children who complete a standards-based Kindergarten program are better
prepared, for primary education.
Education for children in the early years lays the foundation for lifelong learning and for the total
development of a child. The early years of a human being, from 0 to 6 years, are the most critical
period when the brain grows to at least 60-70 percent of adult size..[Ref: K to 12 Toolkit]
In Kindergarten, students learn the alphabet, numbers, shapes, and colors through games,
songs, and dances, in their Mother Tongue.

MAKING THE CURRICULUM RELEVANT TO LEARNERS (CONTEXTUALIZATION AND

ENHANCEMENT)
Examples, activities, songs, poems, stories, and illustrations are based on local culture, history,
and reality. This makes the lessons relevant to the learners and easy to understand.
Students acquire in-depth knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes through continuity and
consistency across all levels and subjects.
Discussions on issues such as Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Climate Change Adaptation, and
Information & Communication Technology (ICT) are included in the enhanced curriculum.

BUILDING PROFICIENCY THROUGH LANGUAGE (MOTHER TONGUE-BASED MULTILINGUAL

EDUCATION)
Students are able to learn best through their first language, their Mother Tongue (MT). Twelve
(12) MT languages have been introduced for SY 2012-2013: Bahasa Sug, Bikol, Cebuano,
Chabacano, Hiligaynon, Iloko, Kapampangan, Maguindanaoan, Meranao, Pangasinense, Tagalog,
and Waray. Other local languages will be added in succeeding school years.
Aside from the Mother Tongue, English and Filipino are taught as subjects starting Grade 1, with
 a focus on oral fluency. From Grades 4 to 6, English and Filipino are gradually introduced as
languages of instruction. Both will become primary languages of instruction in Junior High School
(JHS) and Senior High School (SHS).
After Grade 1, every student can read in his or her Mother Tongue. Learning in Mother Tongue
also serves as the foundation for students to learn Filipino and English easily.

ENSURING INTEGRATED AND SEAMLESS LEARNING (SPIRAL PROGRESSION)

Subjects are taught from the simplest concepts to more complicated concepts through grade
levels in spiral progression. As early as elementary, students gain knowledge in areas such as
Biology, Geometry, Earth Science, Chemistry, and Algebra. This ensures a mastery of knowledge
and skills after each level.
For example, currently in High School, Biology is taught in 2nd Year, Chemistry in 3rd Year, and
Physics in 4th Year. In K to 12, these subjects are connected and integrated from Grades 7 to 10.
This same method is used in other Learning Areas like Math.

GEARING UP FOR THE FUTURE (SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL)

Senior High School is two years of specialized upper secondary education; students may
choose a specialization based on aptitude, interests, and school capacity. The choice of career track
will define the content of the subjects a student will take in Grades 11 and 12. SHS subjects fall under
either the Core Curriculum or specific Tracks.

CORE CURRICULUM
There are seven Learning Areas under the Core Curriculum. These are Languages, Literature,
Communication, Mathematics, Philosophy, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences. Current content
from some General Education subjects are embedded in the SHS curriculum.

TRACKS
Each student in Senior High School can choose among three tracks: Academic;
Technical-Vocational-Livelihood; and Sports and Arts. The Academic track includes three strands:
Business, Accountancy, Management (BAM); Humanities, Education, Social Sciences (HESS); and
Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM).
Students undergo immersion, which may include earn-while-you-learn opportunities, to provide
them relevant exposure and actual experience in their chosen track.

TVET (TECHNICAL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION & TRAINING) NATIONAL CERTIFICATE

After finishing Grade 10, a student can obtain Certificates of Competency (COC) or a National
Certificate Level I (NC I). After finishing a Technical-Vocational-Livelihood track in Grade 12, a
student may obtain a National Certificate Level II (NC II), provided he/she passes the
competency-based assessment of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA).
NC I and NC II improves employability of graduates in fields like Agriculture, Electronics, and
Trade.
MODELING BEST PRACTICES FOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
In SY 2012-2013, there are 33 public high schools, public technical-vocational high schools, and
higher education institutions (HEIs) that have implemented Grade 11. This is a Research and Design
(R&D) program to simulate different aspects of Senior High School in preparation for full nationwide
implementation in SY 2016-2017. Modeling programs offered by these schools are based on
students’ interests, community needs, and their respective capacities.

NURTURING THE HOLISTICALLY DEVELOPED FILIPINO (COLLEGE AND LIVELIHOOD

READINESS, 21ST CENTURY SKILLS)
After going through Kindergarten, the enhanced Elementary and Junior High curriculum, and a
specialized Senior High program, every K to 12 graduate will be ready to go into different paths –
may it be further education, employment, or entrepreneurship.
Every graduate will be equipped with:
a)Information, media and technology skills,
b)Learning and innovation skills,
c) Effective communication skills, and
d)Life and career skills.

DEPED PREPARES SELF-LEARNING MODULES FOR EDUCATION’S NEW NORMAL

July 1, 2020 — Steadfast in its preparation for School Year 2020-2021, the Department of
Education (DepEd) will provide Self-Learning Modules (SLMs) with the alternative learning delivery
modalities to be offered for various types of learners across the Philippines.
The integration of SLMs with the alternative learning delivery modalities (modular,
television-based, radio-based instruction, blended, and online) will help DepEd ensure that all
learners have access to quality basic education for SY 2020-2021 with face-to-face classes still
prohibited due to the public health situation.
“The SLMs and the other alternative learning delivery modalities are in place to address the
needs, situations, and resources of each and every learner and will cover all the bases in ensuring
that basic education will be accessible amid the present crisis posed by COVID-19,” DepEd
Secretary Leonor Briones said.
SLMs are delivered in printed format to schools that are located in coastal areas, far-flung
provinces, and communities without access to the internet or electricity. For households with gadgets
and devices, the Department has announced that SLMs can also be accessed online or offline.
Secretary Briones noted that SLMs will be integrated in video lessons, most especially for K to 3
learners who will require more auditory learning than other grade levels.
With inclusivity in mind, DepEd Region II Director Dr. Estela Carino added that learners with
special needs will have video sessions as well as assigned teachers that will be guiding them
throughout their lessons.
“The activities we placed in the SLMs will be appropriate for learners with special needs, too. We
still have to give these learners the same kind of care that we gave them while we were doing
face-to-face classes. Most of them would be using video-taped lessons aside from the modules,” RD
Carino said.
DepEd has provided a set of SLMs for each region for contextualization, which shall be printed in
July and will be prepared for distribution nationwide, including learners in coastal and far-flung areas.
 The Department also assured that the safety and health of teachers and personnel will be its top
priority as SLMs can be done at home. Teachers who would need to visit their schools to get
materials to prepare the SLMs are required to follow the existing work arrangement and health
protocols.
To further integrate the SLMs with the learning delivery modalities, DepEd is set to finalize the
learning delivery modalities which will be implemented for each region after the consolidation of
Learner Enrollment and Survey Forms (LESF) from the June enrollment.

REFERENCES
 https://www.deped.gov.ph/1989/02/20/do-11-s-1989-implementation-of-the-new-second
ary-education-curriculum-under-the-1989-secondary-development-program-amended-
by-do-32-s-1991-corrigendum-to-decs-order-no-11-s-1989-implementa/
 https://www.slideshare.net/lhayzahcuatriz/basic-education-curriculum-76608325
 https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/k-12/
 https://www.deped.gov.ph/2020/07/02/deped-prepares-self-learning-modules-for-educa
tions-new-nor