DepEd set to implement K+12 in SY 2012-13
LINGAYEN–A top official of the Department of Education announced here that the new K+12 program, which requires students to undergo kindergarten plus 12 years of basic education, will start in the coming school year 2012-2013 which opens in June.
“It’s definitely a go this coming June. It is final and there is no more turning back,” said DepEd Undersecretary Yolanda Quijano after presenting a paper during a K+12 International Conference and Workshop on January 19, joined by speakers from the United States, Australia and Japan.
Dubbed “Addressing the K to 12 Curricular Enhancement in Philippine Education 2012”, the three-day conference was hosted by the Pangasinan provincial government.
“We say we are ready. The children are there and the teachers will be trained while we (DepEd) are now preparing the reading materials,” she said, adding that the international conference was one way of gauging the exposure of teachers in Pangasinan to K+12.
The K+12 will require Kindergarten enrolment for pupils starting school and Grade 7 for those who are graduating from the 6th grade in March.
Quijano explained that the K+12, also referred to as K-12, is designed for a more holistic development of students that prepares them for the challenges in the 21st century.
Under the K+12, which will be required in all public and private schools, the DepEd is integrating into the school curriculum several key areas that will equip students with skills related to the information media, effective communication, and sound career development.
The 12-year basic education period, longer than the existing six years for elementary and four years in high school, will give students additional basic competencies that will allow them to be employed or become entrepreneurs even without a college degree.
“We would like our educational system to be comparable with all other systems in the world,” said Quijano.
KINDER, GRADE 7
While the Kindergarten Law passed by Congress has yet to be signed by President Benigno Aquino III, Quijano said the government is already calling on parents to bring their five-year olds to kindergarten school under the enhanced basic education curriculum.
The DepEd is holding a nationwide registration for all five-year old children on January 29 to determine how many students would be enrolled in kindergarten schools in June.
Presently, there are about 1.5 million children enrolled in kindergarten schools around the country.
Quijano also clarified that children qualified in age for Grade 1 but did not undergo kindergarten will be allowed to enroll provided they attend “summer kindergarten”.
Quijano said there are presently 22,000 regular teachers and 22,000 volunteer teachers all over the country who will teach kindergarten.
To address, the lack of classrooms, Quijano said there will be two classes for kindergartens, one in the morning and another in the afternoon to accommodate more students.
The incoming Grade 1 students will be required to undertake the new curriculum, which means finishing basic education in 2023 after completing Grade 11.
To prepare for school year, 2013-2014, DepEd will prepare “mother schools” for Grade 11 and some private schools have volunteered to set up model schools for Grade 11.
Quijano also appealed to other sectors to help the government in implementing the K+12.
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