REPUBLIC ACT NO.

10157
AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING THE KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION INTO THE
BASIC EDUCATION SYSTEM AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Kindergarten Education Act”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – In consonance with the Millennium Development Goals on achieving
Education for All (EFA) by the year 2015, it is hereby declared the policy of the State to provide equal
opportunities for all children to avail of accessible mandatory and compulsory kindergarten education that
effectively promotes physical, social, intellectual, emotional and skills stimulation and values formation to
sufficiently prepare them for formal elementary schooling. This Act shall apply to elementary school system
being the first stage of compulsory and mandatory formal education. Thus, kindergarten will now be an integral
part of the basic education system of the country.
Kindergarten education is vital to the academic and technical development of the Filipino child for it is the
period when the young mind’s absorptive capacity for learning is at its sharpest. It is also the policy of the State
to make education learner-oriented and responsive to the needs, cognitive and cultural capacity, the
circumstances and diversity of learners, schools and communities through the appropriate languages of teaching
and learning.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. – The terms used in this Act are defined as follows:
(a) DepEd shall refer to the Department of Education;
(b) BEE shall refer to the Bureau of Elementary Education;
(c) Kindergarten education shall be understood in this Act to mean one (1) year of preparatory education for
children at least five (5) years old as a prerequisite for Grade I; and
(d) Mother tongue refers to the language first learned by a child.

SEC. 4. Institutionalization of Kindergarten Education. – Kindergarten education is hereby institutionalized as

part of basic education and for school year 2011-2012 shall be implemented partially, and thereafter, it shall be
made mandatory and compulsory for entrance to Grade 1.

SEC. 5. Medium of Instruction. – The State shall hereby adopt the mother tongue-based multilingual education
(MTB-MLE) method. The mother tongue of the learner shall be the primary medium of instruction for teaching
and learning in the kindergarten level. However, exceptions shall be made to the following cases:
(a) When the pupils in the kindergarten classroom have different mother tongues or when some of them speak
another mother tongue;
(b) When the teacher does not speak the mother tongue of the learners;
(c) When resources, in line with the use of the mother tongue, are not yet available; and
(d) When teachers are not yet trained how to use the MTB-MLE program.
In such exceptional cases, the primary medium of instruction shall be determined by the DepEd aligned with the
framework being used in the elementary level including teacher training and production of local resources and
materials under DepEd Order No. 74, series of 2009.
The DepEd, in coordination with the Commission on Filipino Language and in close collaboration with
academic and research institutions concerned with education, shall formulate a mother tongue-based
multilingual framework for teaching and learning: Provided, That the DepEd will include teaching strategies as
defined in Section 7(c) which aims to introduce and eventually strengthen the child’s understanding of English,
which is the official language.

SEC. 6. Implementing Agency. – The authority to regulate the organization, operation and/or implementation of
the kindergarten education program of both public and private schools shall be vested upon the DepEd, through
the creation of a new Division under the BEE and other necessary support to achieve successful implementation
of kindergarten education to include, but not limited to, increasing the number of kindergarten teacher positions
with the required salaries and benefits, enhancing teacher training in early education, and providing the
necessary allocations for classrooms and chairs, facilities and equipment, and textbooks.

SEC. 7. Duties, Powers and Functions. – The DepEd, through the BEE, shall exercise the following powers and
functions:
(a) Oversee and supervise the organization, operation and implementation of the kindergarten education
program;
(b) Develop the curriculum for kindergarten education consistent with the universally accepted norms and
standards, including values formation all of which shall be developmentally appropriate, and use of the MTB-
MLE as a medium of instruction and to periodically review such for purposes of upgrading;
(c) Develop teaching strategies using the unique feature of the MTB-MLE which shall include, but not limited
to, the following:
(1) The two-track method (storytelling and reading, listening story, oral communication activities);
(2) Interactive strategies;
(3) Use of manipulative games; and
(4) Experiential, small group discussions and total physical response (TPR) among others.
The learning development materials shall consist of the following at the minimum:
(i) Listening story;
(ii) Small books;
(iii) Big books;
(iv) Experience story;
(v) Primer lessons; and
(vi) Lessons exemplars;
(a) Conceive, develop and extend a continuing professional development program for kindergarten teachers to
ensure constant updating of their knowledge in current trends, pedagogy, methodologies and concepts on early
childhood education;
(b) Prescribe the necessary qualifications for the hiring and accreditation of teachers who will handle the
kindergarten education program;
(c) Exercise authority over the operation of private kindergarten institutions;
(d) Supervise the establishment of various venues for early childhood education which may be institution-based,
home-based, hospital-based or community-based, and which shall be duly accredited by the DepEd; and
(e) Introduce innovative programs in kindergarten that shall include educational technologies, whenever
applicable.

SEC. 8. Appropriations. – The DepEd shall immediately include in the program of the Department the
operationalization of the free, mandatory and compulsory public kindergarten education, the initial funding of
which shall be charged against the current appropriations for kindergarten education of the DepEd. Thereafter,
such sums which shall be necessary for the continued implementation of the free public kindergarten education
program shall be charged to the General Fund and included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) days after the effectivity of this Act, the
DepEd, in consultation with the Department of Budget and Management, shall promulgate the rules and
regulations needed for the implementation of this Act.

SEC. 10. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, the same shall
not affect the validity and effectivity of the other provisions hereof.

SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. – Pertinent provisions of all other laws, decrees, executive orders and rules and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 12. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
 TEACHING PROFESSION

REPUBLIC ACT 10157

Submitted to: Ma’am Julay Hernandez

Submitted by:
Kristine Joy S. Alcantara
Airah Jhane Pimpil
Jolly Ann Pascua
CTE-1
 Quality education is viewed as any country’s pillar of success. Restructuring the Philippines’s
basic educational system through the K to 12 Program is a tough but strategic move by the
government to ensure that it produces competent graduates who can serve as the backbone for a
highly skilled and employable work force. The program replaced the 10-year Basic Education
Curriculum (BEC), which consisted of six years in grade school and four years in high school that
concentrated on the English language and Filipino, the sciences, arithmetic and mathematics, and
the social sciences.

The reform includes decongesting and enhancing the basic education curriculum for learners
to master basic competencies, lengthening the cycle of basic education to cover kindergarten
through year 12. Expanding the basic education by adding kindergarten and two years in
high school ensures that graduates earn the necessary skills and reach the employable age
to qualify entrance into the world of work, if they desire or need to do so. On the other hand,
graduates who opt to go to tertiary education are deemed better prepared for college
study/work.

Two more years of basic education will be added to the existing four-year high school
program to extend the basic education from ten years to 12 years. Aside from two years in high
school, one year of kindergarten has now become part of basic education. The K to 12 basic
education curriculums will prepare students with life skills that they earn while schooling.

EDUCATIONAL STRUCTURE
One of the major changes brought about by the K to 12 reforms is on the education
structure. Previously, preschool was not compulsory, that is, pupils could enroll in Grade 1
with or without having gone through preschool. Under K to 12 and with the Kindergarten
Act, preschool education for five-year-old children becomes mandatory before entering
elementary school.

There will be the same six years of elementary education, but students entering
secondary level will begin their junior high school as Grade 7. Junior High School is for four years
(Grades 7 to 10) and Senior High School (SHS) is for two years (Grades 11 to 12). The additional
two years of SHS would mean that the high school graduates are better prepared for whatever
path they will choose, and they are of legal age (18 years old) to be lawfully employed.
Features
Basic Education Curriculum (BEC). Then in 2010, the Secondary Education Curriculum (SEC) was
introduced in high school in school year 2010-2011. Both the BEC and SEC aim for functional
literacy. The K to 12 Curriculum aims for holistic development and acquisition of 21st century skills.

The BEC 2002 focuses on the development of reading skills and values of self-reliance and
patriotism. It also puts emphasis on interactive learning approaches and integrative teaching
approaches which integrate competencies and values within and across the learning
areas. On the other hand, SEC 2010, which follows an Understanding by Design (UbD)
framework, focuses on setting of learning standards and teaching for understanding. It
provides a personalized approach using special curricular programs. It likewise develops readiness
and passion for work and lifelong learning. Moreover,SEC 2010 takes into consideration the
various contexts and support systems surrounding the Filipino learners.

The K to 12 curriculums considers every aspect of development of the learners so that

graduates will be holistically developed, equipped with 21st century skills and prepared for
employment, entrepreneurship, middle level skills or higher education.

Main Features of the Enhanced K to 12 Curriculums

In the old curriculum, so much knowledge, skills, and values were expected to be
learnt by students within a limited period of time. Moreover, learning tended to be more
focused on content, which was fragmented and disintegrated. These could be some reasons why
many Filipino students failed to master the competencies and gain lifelong learning skills
necessary for a productive life. The K to 12 Education Program addresses these shortcomings by
reforming the basic education curriculum.

The K to 12 curriculums is decongested. The new curriculum focuses on understanding for

mastery and has removed the unnecessarily repeated competencies.
 The K to 12 curriculum is seamless. This ensures smooth transition between grade
levels and continuum of competencies through spiral progression where learning of
knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes increases in depth and breadth. There is also
continuity of competencies and standards from elementary to secondary level
through a unified curriculum framework. The unified standards and competencies
ensures integration of what learners learn across grade levels and across learning
areas for a more meaningful learning.

The K to 12 curriculum is relevant and responsive as it centers on the Filipino learner; it is

developmentally appropriate (age appropriate) and focuses on succeeding in the 21st century.
Moreover, the curriculum responds to the needs of the community: an agricultural town may
offer agricultural elective courses; a coastal area, fishery elective courses; an urban
area, industrial arts. Learning will be systematically matched with labor market
requirements.

K to 12 Curriculum is enriched. It uses integrative, inquiry-based and constructive

approaches to develop the competencies of learners K to 12 Curriculum is learner centered. It
focuses on the optimum development of the Filipino child.

The K to 12 Basic Education Program aims to produce Filipino graduates who are
holistically-developed with 21st century skills prepared for higher education, middle-level skills
development, employment, and entrepreneurship. Having quality education as a long term solution
to underemployment, malnutrition, and poverty and is line with the agenda of the Aquino
administration.

The desired outcomes of the K to 12 program are defined in expectancies which are in the
form of content and performance standards that are specified in the curriculum of each learning
area:

1. Content standards are what the students should know (facts and information), what they do
(process or skills), and what understanding they construct as they process the information.
The students are expected not only to understand but also to demonstrate what they learn,
thus providing evidence of learning.

2. Performance standards are what students do or how they use their learning and
understanding. The students are expected to produce products and/or performances to
prove that they can apply what they learn in real-life situations.
Time allotment

At the elementary level, the daily time allotment for English and Filipino subjects has been
reduced while additional time is given to the new learning area under language, which is Mother
Tongue. The time allocation for Mathematics and Araling Panlipunan was also decreased.
On the other hand, more time was added to Edukasyong Pantahanan at
Pangkabuhayan. This reduction does not mean less time for study as K to 12 allows
for learning time to be extended to off-school learning experiences at home or in
the community. The pupils are expected to produce an output or perform tasks that will
be credited to them.

Secondary

Comparing the time allotment per subject in the previous secondary education
curriculum and the K to 12 curriculum, one sees a reduction of time particularly in English,
Mathematics and Science. However, when the time allotment allotted to these subjects in Junior
High School is combined with those provided in the SHS, it will be seen that there is actually an
increase in time allocation. As part of the process of decongesting the curriculum, the K
to 12 reform spreads out the learning time over the six years of secondary education.

For Grades 7 to 10, there is a provision of time for independent and cooperative
learning for two to four hours a week. This time will be spent for self-directed learning,
teamwork, goal-orientation and developing sense of responsibility and accountability.

Classroom assessment is one of the daily tasks of teachers and students in individual
classrooms to know the level of learning of students and the effect of teachers’ instruction. Thus,
formative assessment (assessment FOR learning) is emphasized to ensure learning. Every
learner is also encouraged to engage in the process of self-assessment (assessment AS learning).
Summative forms of assessment (assessment OF learning) are also a part of curriculum
assessment under the K to 12 curriculum.

In the K to 12 curriculum, the assessment process involves the use of a wide array of
traditional and authentic assessment tools and techniques for a valid, reliable, and realistic
assessment of learning. Traditional and authentic assessments complement each other. They are
not mutually exclusive. Moreover, it puts greater emphasis on assessing understanding
and skills development rather than on mere accumulation of content.
 .

One of its advantages is the decongestion of subject skills and competencies. The
students will be able to get sufficient instructional time to do subject-related tasks, which
makes them more prepared and well-trained on that subject area, thus, allowing for their
more holistic development. Another advantage is that graduate of this program will be more
prepared to enter the labor force. The majority who graduate high school and do not go to
college are too young to enter the labor force, thus they would either be unemployed or be
vulnerable to exploitative labor practices. With the new curriculum, senior high school students
can choose a field that they are good at and that they are interested in.

Finally, Filipino graduates will be automatically recognized as professionals abroad

because we are following the international education standard as practiced by all nations. The
old basic education system hindered us in becoming more competitive among other
countries. The K-12 education plan offers a great solution to that problem.

2. Based from the data gathered from your interview, what changes would you want to
recommend to education authorities in the light of improving our educational system?

Below are the things that I would want to recommend to improve the educational system
here in the Philippines;

1) The need to construct more classrooms, laboratory buildings and facilities to

accommodate the growing student populace especially the influx of senior high
school students;
2) The need for more plantilla positions for teachers and principals/school heads;
3) The need for more instructional materials and textbooks compliant to the K to
12 curriculums;
4) The need for further training of school heads and teachers especially on the
matters regarding to the K to 12 curriculums;
5) The need for bigger financial support from the government, NGOs and private entities
in the infrastructures, faculty and staff development and scholarship for senior high
school students;
6) The need for strengthened involvement and support of stakeholders (parents, LGU,
community, etc.) in the implementation of the K to 12 curriculum.

I believe that the implementation of the K-12 in the Philippine Basic Education
Curriculum is the key to our nation’s development. The government may be facing many
problems in the implementation of the program, yet it is important that we implement it
because the enhancement of the quality of education is very urgent and critical.