Good news from Germany

A historic visit occurred two weeks ago in Germany. Albert F. del Rosario became the first Philippine foreign affairs secretary since 2002 to officially visit Germany. On Dec. 7, he signed the first Joint Declaration by the Philippines and Germany since 1989.

The visit was the product of painstaking preparations made by Team Philippines-Germany, which is made up of officials of the Philippine Embassy in Berlin, the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt, and the attached services and honorary consuls. The Team is led by Philippine Ambassador to Germany Maria Cleofe Natividad.

Very helpful in preparing for the signing of the Declaration were Michael Siebert, Head of Division, Cultural and Media Relations with Asia, Federal Foreign Office, and former Goethe Director Uwe Schmelter (older Filipino artists will remember him as one of the best German cultural officers assigned to the Philippines).

The visit focused on many things, such as German investments, sisterhood arrangements between cities, and the Fraport issue, but it is the Declaration that excites me, because it concerns culture. The document signed by Del Rosario and Guido Westerwelle, Germany’s Foreign Minister and former Vice Chancellor, was a “Joint Declaration of Intent regarding Cultural Relations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany.”

The Declaration states that both governments intend to promote cultural exchange, particularly in the areas of “Literary Works and Cultural Publications, Performing Arts, Cinema and Television, Visual Arts, Museology, Heritage and Art Conservation, (Basic) Education, and Higher Education.” The exchange can take many forms, among which are visits of artists, translations and dubbing of works, performances, co-productions, exhibitions, cultural preservation, the teaching of language, and exchanges of teachers and students.

The two governments have promised support from agencies such as the Goethe Institut, the German Academic Exchange Service, and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. One obvious product of the declaration is the fast-tracking of the establishment of a Sentro Rizal in Berlin (calling Senator Edgardo Angara, whose brainchild that is).

The key player in the visit, of course, was the Philippine Embassy in Berlin, which conceptualized many of the projects and is tasked to implement many of the provisions of the Declaration. The Embassy is a source of pride for our Foreign Service, because it not only boasts of a strong complement of officers and staff, but has an excellent supporting corps of Honorary Consuls ready and able to promote economic and cultural bilateral partnerships.

Team Philippines-Germany is expected to visit the Philippines in March 2012. Joining the Team will be members of the German business community and German media.

FAQS ON K TO 12: The Steering Committee of the government’s K to 12 program has prepared answers to Frequently Asked Questions for those still uncertain about the wisdom of President Noynoy Aquino’s education plan. Here are a few of these FAQs and the answers by the Steering Committee:

“Q: When will the K to 12 program be implemented?

“A: Universal Kindergarten started in SY 2011-2012. The new curriculum for Grade 1 and Grade 7 (High School Year 1) will be implemented in SY 2012-2013 and will progress in succeeding years.

“Q: Where will the additional two years be added?

“A: The two years will be added after the four-year high school program. This will be called Senior High School.

“Q: Why is the K to 12 program better than the current program?

“A: K to 12 offers a more balanced approach to learning that will enable children to acquire and master lifelong learning skills (as against a congested curriculum). It will help in freeing parents of the burden of having to spend for college just to make their children employable.

“Q: How will K to 12 help in ensuring employment for our graduates?

“A: The curriculum will enable students to acquire Certificates of Competency (COCs) and National Certifications (NCs). This will allow graduates to have middle level skills and will offer them better opportunities to be gainfully employed.

“Q: What would be the assurance that K to 12 graduates will be employed?

“A: Business organizations and local and foreign chambers of commerce and industries have agreed that graduates of K to 12 will be considered for employment. There will be matching of competency requirements and standards so that 12-year basic education graduates will have the necessary skills needed by the labor market.

“Q: How will the K to 12 program help students intending to pursue higher education?

“A: The K to 12 basic education curriculum will be in accordance with the college readiness standards from CHED which sets the skills and competencies needed of K to 12 graduates who wish to pursue higher education. CHED will download its general education subjects to K to 12, ensuring mastery of core competencies for K to 12 graduates.”

The K to 12 program coordinates efforts of several government entities, such as DepEd, CHED, TESDA, DOLE, DSWD, DOST, DOH, ECCDC, NCCA, and CCP, as well as the education committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It should be made clear that the K to 12 program is not a purely DepEd initiative, but is an effort by the entire government and the private sector to improve education in our country (not just basic, but also higher and technical education).