12-year basic education proposal must undergo consultation, bishop says

MANILA, Philippines - CBCP-Public Affairs Committee (PAC) chairman Kalookan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez told the Church-run Radio Veritas in an interview that before implementing the 12-year basic education program, “there are a lot of aspects that should be considered.”

There are also questions that have to be answered such as, would it improve the quality of education? Bishop Iniguez added that they should also look at the experiences of other countries that are offering the 12-year basic education.

“Since this proposal would affect the lives of many people, we should also look into its repercussion or the impact. But it is a good thing to consider that what this program aims to do is to improve the country’s educational system,” Iniguez added.

There have been arguments that adding years to the basic education would be added burden to parents and might lead to an increase in the number of dropout students.

But the CBCP official said that if the government is really convinced that this would improve the education system in the country, it should be willing to subsidize the study of the students.

The parish-run schools should also seriously consider offering subsidies in their schools. In the private schools, they should discuss the matter.

Before deciding on the matter, is what would happen to the students when they reach college.

On the other hand, Iniguez added, “Actually, there are many foreigners taking their tertiary education in the country such as Koreans…So the showing now is that our present education system is effective. Our students in elementary and secondary can cope to the tertiary, well that is a very positive indication of what they have academically learned, and our graduates from the tertiary level can compete internationally.”