ENG 101

Montebon, Ronajane T. #25 MWF – 3:30 to 4:30 pm

The K-12 Education System: Has It Improved the Quality of Education, in the
Philippines?

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. It is a
process of teaching, training, and learning, especially in school, colleges, and universities, to
improve the students knowledge and develop the skills. Education serves as a fundamental
pillar for the development and progress of any nation. In the content of the Philippines, the
educational system has undergone various transformations, culminating, the implementation
Of the k-12 program in 2018 (Barrot, 2021). This big reform was made to improve the quality
of the education and make the Philippine school system match the global education standards
K-12 Curriculum is a 12 years of basic education comprises of 6 years of elementary
education, 4 years of junior high school, and 2 years of senior high school. K stands for
kindergarten and 12 refers to the succeeding 12 years of basic education- And I can say that
the K-12 education system has improved the quality of education in the Philippines.

The implementation of the k-12 education system in the Philippines has greatly
enhanced the quality of education improving the students preparedness for the higher
education, and encouraging students that it will be more manageable during in the higher
education or University time because of the k-12 curriculum that prepared the students for
that purpose. One of the benefits of k-12 is the preparedness for tertiary learning, because
according to DEPED, as graduates will be considered young adults because with the
adaptation of k-ls student are expected to graduate at age a bit older than past graduates.
Hence, they will be not equipped to deal with much higher level of learning as they enter the
college education. Another benefits of the k-12 education is the readiness to join the work
force because unlike the old system, k-12 does not force each student to take college after
completing the Senior High School. In fact, this curriculum empower the students to make a
choice on their own. Other students may not pursue the college education especially if they
have chosen a track other than the academic track which is for example the TVL track. The
good thing is that the SHS or Senior High school graduates will be equipped with kills that
will make then good at certain fields. This shift in perspective aligns with international trends
emphasizing the critical role of teacher leadership in fostering meaningful reform (Harris,
2006).
 In the study of Caup, D. And Buda, A. (2017), the DepEd highlights the K-12
program’s potential to deliver a better quality of education. The spirally progressing
curriculum is designed to foster a deeper understanding of concepts by gradually building
upon prior (Caup and Buda,2017). This approach aims to address the shortcomings of the
previous education system, which often resulted in students memorizing facts without
developing critical thinking skills. By focusing on mastery and gradual progression, the K-12
program seeks to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in higher
education and the workforce (Leonel et al, 2016).

However, the effectiveness of the K-12 program in achieving its goals is not without
its critics. One major concern is the lack of adequate resources and infrastructure in many
public schools. The Philippines faces significant challenges in terms of teacher training,
classroom facilities, and access to technology. These limitations can hinder the
implementation of the K-12 curriculum and its potential to improve the quality of education.
Furthermore, the increased number of years in the K-12 program has raised concerns about
its financial feasibility (Jacobs 2017).The additional two years of schooling require greater
financial investment, which can be a burden for families, especially those in low-income
communities.

Despite these challenges, the K-12 program has introduced positive changes to the
Philippine education system. The inclusion of senior high school, for instance, has provided
students with more opportunities to explore their interests and prepare for higher education or
vocational training. The program’s focus on 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking,
problem-solving, and communication, is also a significant step towards equipping students
for the demands of the modern world.

The Philippines 2013 K-12 system of education is quite a good transformation since
the new program marks a great departure from the previous 10-year system under the old
structure, to this full-fledged 12-year curriculum. According to the perceived nature of the
reform, kindergarten, elementary, junior high, and senior high school will make up the
upgraded comprehensive 12-year program with an interest in producing better quality, as
enhanced provision would better prepare students for both higher education and vocational
careers and the changing demands of modern employment. Gradual knowledge acquisition is
thus given major emphasis by the Mastery and progressive learning approach, along with
fostering critical thinking and problem solving, which is characteristic of this curriculum.

Flexibility in the K-12 system is a key strength where a student may opt for either of
the tracks in senior high school, an academic track or a vocational track. This will give way to
opportunities in pursuing various interests and skills development, both of which have been
found to be very relevant to college and career. Besides, graduating students are expected to
be more matured in adulthood and prepared in order to face greater learning and professional
challenges. The program also is based on international educational standards. These stand out
with the very basic 21st-century skills including communication and collaboration and
analytical thinking. There are however, challenges of the K-12 program as well.

Among the major challenges with this reform is that most public schools have
deficient resources and infrastructures that may undermine the complete execution of the
program. Besides that, teacher training is often inadequate, and there is also a lack of access
to technology. Lastly, because of the added years, parents, especially in low-income
neighborhoods, will have incurred some of the expenses, hence raising questions on the
potential economic viability and feasibility of the reform. These are significant challenges but
not insurmountable and underscore the need for continued investment in education, teacher
development, and infrastructure to ensure the program’s success. Despite all these, no doubt,
K-12 helped better the Philippine educational system of the country positively. It brought out
a more holistic approach to learning where students get more chances to discover their
passions and hone their skills and capabilities within this fast world. Mastery is given more
importance than mere memorization as well as readiness for both higher education and
livelihood portfolios in preparation for better opportunities in the future.

All these together make it very evident that the K-12 program can revolutionize
education in the country, but its full success depends on the challenges that currently plague
it. The Philippine education of the future will not only depend on the continuation of these
reforms but on a movement to enhance, develop, and continue the resources, infrastructures,
and support systems that will trigger the success of each student. If the country will commit
further to strengthen this K-12 program, other nations will be eager to do the same and
prepare their youth for new demands in the 21st century. The question now is: Are we, as a
society, ready to invest in the long-term transformation of our educational system to be able
to shape leaders and innovators tomorrow? And the answer to this question shall ascertain the
future development perspective of the nation and whether it shall have a future with the
generation next.

References
Barot, M. (2021). Philippine K-12 Curriculum: An Overview and Evaluation. Educational
Research and Reviews, 16(2), 87-93.
Jacobs, S. (2017). The Economic Impact of Extended Schooling: The Philippine K-12
Program in Focus. Philippine Education Journal, 9(1), 45-60.
Caup, D., & Buda, A. (2017). Evaluation of the K-12 Program Implementation in Philippine
Public Schools. Journal of Educational Development, 5(4), 23-32.
Harris, A. (2003). Teacher Leadership as a Means of Reform. School Leadership &
Management, 23(3), 313-324.
Leonel, A., et al. (2016). Mastery and Complexity in the Philippine Education System:
Assessing the K-12 Reform. Asian Education Studies, 4(3), 125-140.