Noy urged to postpone K to 12 implementation

MANILA, Philippines - A group of parents yesterday called on President Aquino to postpone the nationwide implementation of the enhanced Basic Education Program or K to 12 Law in 2016.

Rey Vargas, founding chairman of the Parents for Children’s Education (PACE), also pushed for the review of the law, which adds two more years to the four-year high school curriculum.

“Majority of consultations were conducted with members of the academic community, such as school administrators and teachers. Public hearings, if there were, do not substantiate actual and realistic parental concerns,” Vargas said.

He also urged the government to ensure that academic institutions are prepared before it fully implements the senior high school program in June 2016.

PACE will convene parents in a forum on Aug. 16 at the Malate Catholic School in Manila to discuss the K to 12 law and its impacts.

Earlier, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV had also urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to suspend implementation of the K to 12 program until basic problems in the country’s educational system are resolved.

Under Republic Act 10533 or the K to 12 Basic Education Program Law, the additional years in high school will serve as a specialization period for senior high school students (Grades 11 and 12) whether in vocational skills, music arts or sports.

DepEd said it is addressing the prerequisites for successful implementation of the succeeding stages, including the introduction of senior high school and the construction of around 30,000 new classrooms for Grades 11 and 12.

Public and private colleges and universities have also rejected Trillanes’ proposal to defer implementation of K to 12 program.

Jose Paulo Campos, president of the Philippine Association of Private Schools, Colleges and Universities, said the delay in the implementation of the K to 12 program would only make the Philippines less competitive than other countries in Southeast Asia.