Opposition to the additional two years in the basic education of Filipino students surfaced anew as the opening of the 2016-2017 school year nears with Boholanos strongly voicing their sentiments against the K to 12 basic education of the government.
Asked in a phone in survey on Tuesday, May 17, 2016 over DYRD “Inyong Alagad” “With the implementation of the K to 12 basic education program, will this improve the overall quality of education in our country?
Of the eighteen callers, only three responded positively to the K to 12 program but the rest expressed their objections to the program mainly for the added financial burden to cash strapped parents.
RA 10533 known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 increased the number of years for basic education to 12 years from the long established 10 years.
Signed by President Benigno S. Aquino lll on May 15, 2013, the K to 12 covers 13 years of basic education to include Kindergarten to Grade 3, Grades 4 to 6, Grades 7 to 10 (Junior High School) and Grades 11 and 12 (Senior High School).
Those against K to 12 trashed the government’s effort to alleviate the financial burden through the voucher system that gives P17,500 a year to students that choose to take the added 2 years in private schools.
“The assistance from the government is meager considering that private schools are now implementing the semestral system with an average tuition of P20,000 per semester excluding books”.
Callers also lambasted the DEP-ED for giving the impression of readiness to implement the program despite the apparent lack of teachers and classrooms.
Majority also agreed that the K to 12 was designed for overseas employment and was not geared towards the local market.
But the few who were for educational reforms said “This program will improve the over-all quality of education and make Filipino professionals competitive in the global market”.
With the recent decision of the Supreme Court junking consolidated appeals to stop the implementation of the K to 12 program, the burden of convincing the many who doubt the wisdom of the program rests on the shoulders of the Department of Education. (Chito Visarra)