Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
to create positive improvements in the educational system. Every time there are changes or
developments happening around the world, the school curricula are affected. There is a need to
During the ancient times, people taught their children knowledge and skills to survive by
catching fish or hunting animals for food. They had no formal education during that time, but
their children learned and acquired the knowledge and skills for survival. So, during that time,
they already had a curriculum that other educators call as, the saber-tooth curriculum. This type
of curriculum refers to a kind of curriculum that existed during the ancient times in which the
However, when the effects of discoveries and inventions became inevitable, ancient people’s
way of life had changed for the better. As a result, education became formal, and curriculum
Etymology
The word "curriculum" began as a Latin word which means "a race" or "the course of a race"
(which in turn derives from the verb currere meaning "to run/to proceed"). The first known use
Petrus Ramus published posthumously in 1576. The term subsequently appears in University of
Leiden records in 1582. The word's origins appear closely linked to the Calvinist desire to bring
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By the seventeenth century, the University of Glasgow also referred to its "course" of study as a
"curriculum", producing the first known use of the term in English in 1633. By the nineteenth
century, European universities routinely referred to their curriculum to describe both the
complete course of study (as for a degree in surgery) and particular courses and their content.
Curriculum development has a broad scope because it is not only about the school, the learners,
In today’s knowledge economy, curriculum development plays a vital role in improving the
economy of a country. It also provides answers or solutions to the world’s pressing conditions
and problems, such as environment, politics, socio-economics, and other issues of poverty,
There must be a chain of developmental process to develop a society. First, the school
national identity and to ensure its economy’s growth and stability. Thus, the president of a
country must have a clear vision for his people and the country as well.
For instance, in the Philippines, if President Aquino would like the country to become the Asia-
Pacific’s tourism hub, then the school curriculum must be developed along that line. Curricular
programs for higher education can be crafted in such a way that it will boost the tourism
industry. For example, different models may arise such as edu-tourism, eco-tourism, cultural
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If universities have curricular programs that are innovative and in demand in the local or global
markets, many students even from foreign countries will enroll. A higher number of enrollees
would mean income on the part of the universities. As a result, if the income is big, it can be
used for teachers’ promotion, scholarship, and remuneration. It can also be used in funding
research and development endeavors, and in putting up school facilities, libraries, and
laboratories.
I believe that the country’s economy can improve the people’s way of life through curriculum
development. And to develop it, curriculum experts or specialists should work hand in hand with
lawmakers such as senators and congressmen, the local government officials, governors, mayors,
among others. Likewise, business communities and industries, and other economically oriented
players in society may be engaged in setting and implementing rules and policies for educational
reforms.
organization, not only at the micro but also at macro levels. As long as the goals and objectives
of curriculum development are clear in the planner’s mind, cutting-edge achievements in various
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History of Curriculum in the Philippines
Before 1521 Education before the coming of Spaniards 1521-1896 Education during the
Education during the American Occupation 1935-1941 Education during the Philippine
- No formal schools
- The objective was basically to promote reverence for, and adoration of Bathala,
respect for laws, customs, and authorities represented by parents and elders.
- Educational decree of 1863 – required the establishment of one primary school for girls
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- Spanish Language – medium of instruction in all schools.
inhabitants)
Because of need, higher level schools were established much later by virtue of royal
decrees.
- Colegios
- Beaterios
English)
- Geography
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- Psychology
Philippine Revolution
Jose Rizal - criticized unequivocally the friars’ method of instruction in his two novels
Curriculum To improve the existing curriculum, Rizal considered the ff. Subjects as
Philippine Revolution
- August 29, 1898 – schools were re-opened by the Secretary of the Interior.
American Occupation
- The Americans used education as a vehicle for its program benevolent assimilation.
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- Restore damaged school houses, build new ones and conduct classes.
- American teachers infused their students the spirit of democracy and progress as well
as fair play.
Education
Most important Colleges during American rule Public School • Philippine Normal
Philippine Commonwealth
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- All schools should develop moral character, personal discipline, civic conscience and
vocational efficiency.
- 1935 Constitution
Japanese Regime
1. Realization of NEW ORDER and promote friendly relations between Japan and the
Curriculum •School calendar became longer •No summer vacation for students •Class size
increased to 60 •Deleted anti-asian opinions, banned the singing of american songs, deleted
american symbols, poems and pictures •Nihongo as a means of introducing and cultivvating
Spanish- Reign for 300 years American- 50 years Japanese- about four years •It is thus not
surprising that despite the measure they had instituted, the Japanese failed to succeed in
transforming the values and attitudes of the people in line with their vision of the NEW
ORDER. •A contributory factor was widely reported brutalities that ushered in the Japanese
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occupation that the filipinos did not experience with the same degree during the American
period
After World War II In 1947, by the virtue of Executive Order No. 94, the Department of
Instruction was changed to "Department of Education." During this period, the regulation and
supervision of public and private schools belonged to the Bureau of Public and Private
Schools.
Education after 1940 • The objective of the Philippine Education was to established
“integrated, nationalistic, and democracy- inspired educational system” included the ff.
Great experiments in the community school and the use of vernacular in the first two grades
of the primary schools as the medium of instruction were some of them. •An experiment
worth mentioning that led to a change in the Philippine Educational Philosophy was that of
school and community collaboration pioneered by Jose V. Aguilar. Schools are increasingly
using instructional materials that are Philippine-oriented. Memorandum No. 30, 1966 sets the
order of priority in the purchase of books for use in the schools were as follows: Books
which are contributions to Phil. Literature Books on character education and other library
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- The Department of Education became the Department of Education and Culture in
1972, the Ministry of Education and Culture in 1978, and with the Education Act of
- A bilingual education scheme was established in 1974, requiring Filipino and English
to be used in schools.
- Science and math subjects as well as English language and literature classes were
From 1986 to the present • The bilingual policy in education was reiterated in the 1987
Constitution of the Philippines. • (EDCOM), Congress passed Republic Act 7722 and
Republic Act 7796 in 1994, creating theCommission on Higher Education (CHED) and the
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). The institute governing
basic education was thus renamed in 2001 as the Department of Education (DepEd).
The quality of public school education is generally considered to have declined since the
post-war years, mainly due to insufficient funds. The Department of Education aims to
address the major problems affecting public education by 2010. • Private schools are able to
offer better facilities and education, but are also much more expensive. There is a wide
variety of private schools, including all-boys’ and all-girls’ schools, religious schools, non-
sectarian schools, Chinese schools, special schools, and international schools. Due to
economic difficulties, there has been a recent increase in the popularity of home schooling
Enhance Basic Education Act of 2013 (K to 12) •PRO’S OF K to 12 •At par with
higher educational studies •Graduates is expected to be equipped with 21st century skills.
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Enhance Basic Education Act of 2013 (K to 12) •
congested curriculum. •Philippines is the only remaining country in asia with a 10 year basic
education program.
•Relevant responsive and Reseach based. •Culture sensitive •Contextualized and global •Use
of pedagogical approaches that are constructivist, inquiry based, reflective collaborative and
EDUCATION(MTB-MLE)
where the learners are and from what they already knew proceeding from the known to the
- Use of spiral progression approach to ensure mastery of knowledge and skills in every level
•Flexible enough to enable and allow schools to localize, indigenize, and enhance the same
- CURRICULUM TRACKS The students after ongoing Senior High School can choose
Design track
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- ACADEMIC TRACK Academic track includes the following strands:
1. Recommended Curriculum
Perhaps you have asked these questions: Why should I take all these subjects and follow
the course flow religiously? Why is there a need to implement the K to 12?The answer is
recommended curriculum.
In some cases, a law making body like the congress and the senate, or a university or a
school can recommend a subject, a course, or any academic program which is deemed
necessary for national identity and security, for environmental protection and sustainable
2. Written Curriculum
This refers to a lesson plan or syllabus written by teachers. Another example is the one
written by curriculum experts with the help of subject teachers. This kind of written
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curriculum needs to be pilot tested or tried out in sample schools to determine its
3. Taught Curriculum
This is about the implementation of the written curriculum. Whatever is being taught or
an activity being done in the classroom is a taught curriculum. So, when teachers give a
lecture, initiate group work, or ask students to do a laboratory experiment with the their
teaching styles and learning styles to address the students’ needs and interests.
4. Supported Curriculum
Instructional materials, such as textbooks, audio visual materials, blogs, wikis, and others
are examples of support curriculum. Other examples are playgrounds, zoos, gardens,
museums, and real life objects. It is called supported curriculum because it helps teachers
implement a written curriculum thus enables the students to become life-long learners.
3. Assessed Curriculum
When students take a quiz or the mid-term and final exams, these series of evaluations
are the so-called assessed curriculum. Teachers may use the pencil and paper tests, and
authentic assessments like portfolio and performance based assessments in order to know
if the students are progressing or not. Ex. Pencil-and paper test, state test, district tests
6. Learned Curriculum
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This type of curriculum indicates what the students have actually learned. This can be
The learning outcome can be determined by the results of the tests, and it can be achieved
7. Hidden Curriculum
This refers to the unplanned or unintended curriculum but plays an important role in
learning.
Now, let’s discuss some classroom implications of the different types of curriculum by taking the
Let’s assume that you are a college student taking up Bachelor of Secondary Education, major in
English. Your course or degree program is a recommended curriculum prescribed by CHED. The
syllabi given to you by your teachers are the written curriculum. When your teachers start to
teach, that is a taught curriculum. And when they ask you to use the internet and search
Furthermore, teachers need to evaluate your performance. So, when you are given a test or exam
that is the assessed curriculum. The results of the assessed curriculum will determine what you
have actually learned – and that is the so-called learned curriculum. However, the hidden
curriculum can affect what will be taught and assessed by your teachers, and eventually may
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To sum it up, curriculum is not only about a course or a simple listing of subjects but it is the
K T0 12 CURRICULUM
The K to 12 Program covers Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (six years of
primary education, four years of Junior High School, and two years of Senior High School
[SHS]) to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners,
and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment, and
entrepreneurship.
SALIENT FEATURES
Every Filipino child now has access to early childhood education through Universal
Kindergarten. At 5 years old, children start schooling and are given the means to slowly adjust to
formal education.
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Research shows that children who underwent Kindergarten have better completion rates than
those who did not. Children who complete a standards-based Kindergarten program are better
Education for children in the early years lays the foundation for lifelong learning and for the total
development of a child. The early years of a human being, from 0 to 6 years, are the most critical
period when the brain grows to at least 60-70 percent of adult size..[Ref: K to 12 Toolkit]
In Kindergarten, students learn the alphabet, numbers, shapes, and colors through games, songs,
Enhancement)
Examples, activities, songs, poems, stories, and illustrations are based on local culture, history,
and reality. This makes the lessons relevant to the learners and easy to understand.
Students acquire in-depth knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes through continuity and
Discussions on issues such as Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Climate Change Adaptation, and
Information & Communication Technology (ICT) are included in the enhanced curriculum.
Education)
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Students are able to learn best through their first language, their Mother Tongue (MT). Twelve
(12) MT languages have been introduced for SY 2012-2013: Bahasa Sug, Bikol, Cebuano,
Tagalog, and Waray. Other local languages will be added in succeeding school years.
Aside from the Mother Tongue, English and Filipino are taught as subjects starting Grade 1, with
a focus on oral fluency. From Grades 4 to 6, English and Filipino are gradually introduced as
languages of instruction. Both will become primary languages of instruction in Junior High
After Grade 1, every student can read in his or her Mother Tongue. Learning in Mother Tongue
also serves as the foundation for students to learn Filipino and English easily.
Subjects are taught from the simplest concepts to more complicated concepts through grade
levels in spiral progression. As early as elementary, students gain knowledge in areas such as
Biology, Geometry, Earth Science, Chemistry, and Algebra. This ensures a mastery of
For example, currently in High School, Biology is taught in 2nd Year, Chemistry in 3rd Year,
and Physics in 4th Year. In K to 12, these subjects are connected and integrated from Grades 7 to
10. This same method is used in other Learning Areas like Math.
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Senior High School is two years of specialized upper secondary education; students may choose
a specialization based on aptitude, interests, and school capacity. The choice of career track will
define the content of the subjects a student will take in Grades 11 and 12. SHS subjects fall under
CORE CURRICULUM
There are seven Learning Areas under the Core Curriculum. These are Languages, Literature,
content from some General Education subjects are embedded in the SHS curriculum.
TRACKS
Each student in Senior High School can choose among three tracks: Academic; Technical-
Vocational-Livelihood; and Sports and Arts. The Academic track includes three strands:
CERTIFICATE
After finishing Grade 10, a student can obtain Certificates of Competency (COC) or a National
Certificate Level I (NC I). After finishing a Technical-Vocational-Livelihood track in Grade 12,
a student may obtain a National Certificate Level II (NC II), provided he/she passes the
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competency-based assessment of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA).
Trade.
In SY 2012-2013, there are 33 public high schools, public technical-vocational high schools, and
higher education institutions (HEIs) that have implemented Grade 11. This is a Research and
Design (R&D) program to simulate different aspects of Senior High School in preparation for
are based on students’ interests, community needs, and their respective capacities.
After going through Kindergarten, the enhanced Elementary and Junior High curriculum, and a
specialized Senior High program, every K to 12 graduate will be ready to go into different paths
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CURRICULUM GUIDE
ELEMENTARY
Kindergarten
The Kindergarten Curriculum Framework (KCF) draws from the goals of the K to 12 Philippine
Basic Education Curriculum Framework and adopts the general principles of the National Early
Learning Framework (NELF). Kindergarten learners need to have a smooth transition to the
GRADES 1-10
Subjects
Mother Tongue
Filipino
English
Mathematics
Science
Araling Panlipunan
Music
Arts
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Physical Education
Health
Senior High School is two years of specialized upper secondary education; students may choose
a specialization based on aptitude, interests, and school capacity. The choice of career track will
define the content of the subjects a student will take in Grades 11 and 12. Each student in Senior
High School can choose among three tracks: Academic; Technical-Vocational-Livelihood; and
Sports and Arts. The Academic track includes three strands: Business, Accountancy,
There are seven Learning Areas under the Core Curriculum: Languages, Literature,
Oral comunication
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General mathematics
Physical science
Earth science (instead of Earth and life science for those in the STEM strand)
Disaster readiness and risk reduction (taken instead of Physical science for those in the
STEM strand)
Practical research 1
Practical research 2
o Akademik
o Isports
o Sining
o Tech-voc
Entrepreneurship
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Specialized subjects
IMPLEMENTATION
Program implementation in public schools is being done in phases starting SY 2012–2013. Grade
1 entrants in SY 2012–2013 are the first batch to fully undergo the program, and current 1st year
Junior High School students (or Grade 7) are the first to undergo the enhanced secondary
education program. To facilitate the transition from the existing 10-year basic education to 12
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Private schools craft their transition plans based on: (1) current/previous entry ages for Grade 1
and final year of Kinder, (2) duration of program , and most importantly, (3) content of
curriculum offered.
SHORTAGE ACCOMPLISHMENT
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Water and 135,847 80,197 completed 13,586 programmed for
of May 2014
The K to 12 Program covers 13 years of basic education with the following key stages:
Kindergarten to Grade 3
Grades 4 to 6
The Philippines is the last country in Asia and one of only three countries worldwide with
a 10-year pre-university cycle (Angola and Djibouti are the other two).
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A 13-year program is found to be the best period for learning under basic education. It is
What has been done to get ready for K to 12? Are we really ready for K to 12?
This 2015, we are getting ready for the implementation of Senior High School (SHS) in SY
2016-2017
We are on the fifth year of the implementation of the K to 12 Program. Our last mile is the
Senior High School. All 221 divisions of the Department of Education (DepEd) have finished
planning and have figures on enrolment a year in advance. These plans were reviewed by a
Classrooms: DepEd has built 66,813 classrooms from 2010 to 2013. There are 33,608
establish 5,899 Senior High Schools nationwide. As of June 22, 2015, DepEd has issued
provisional permits to 2,847 private schools set to offer Senior High School in 2016.
Teachers: From 2010-2014, DepEd has filled 128,105 new teacher items. DepEd is
targeting two kinds of teachers: those who will teach the core subjects, and those who
will teach the specialized subjects per track. DepEd will hire 37,000 teachers for Senior
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Textbooks: Learning materials are being produced for elementary to junior high while
textbooks for Senior High School (which has specialized subjects) are being bid out.
and built around the needs of the learners and the community. The curriculum is done and
is available on the DepEd website. It is the first time in history that the entire curriculum
Private SHS: There are 2,847 private schools cleared to offer Senior High School as of June 22,
2015.
How will the current curriculum be affected by K to 12? What subjects will be added and
removed?
The current curriculum has been enhanced for K to 12 and now gives more focus to allow
mastery of learning.
For the new Senior High School grades (Grades 11 and 12), core subjects such as
Changes to specific subjects are detailed in the K to 12 Curriculum Guides, viewable and
downloadable at bit.ly/kto12curriculum.
How will schools implementing special curricular programs such as science high schools,
high schools for the arts, and technical vocational schools be affected by K to 12?
Schools with special curricular programs will implement enriched curriculums specific to their
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How will multi-grade teaching be affected by K to 12?
How will specific learning groups such as indigenous people, Muslim learners, and people
The K to 12 Curriculum was designed to address diverse learner needs, and may be adapted to fit
Yes. Republic Act No. 10157, or the Kindergarten Education Act, institutionalizes Kindergarten
as part of the basic education system and is a pre-requisite for admission to Grade 1.
With K to 12, will there be an overlap between the Day Care program of Local
No. Day Care Centers of LGUs take care of children aged 4 or below, while the DepEd
Kindergarten program is intended for children who are at least 5 years old by October 31st of the
With K to 12, should schools prepare permanent records for Kindergarten students?
Yes. While the assessment on readiness skills of students in Kindergarten is not academically
driven, a good measure of the child’s ability to cope with formal schooling is needed for future
learning interventions.
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Who is in charge of Kindergarten teacher compensation?
DepEd is the main agency that employs and pays Kindergarten teachers in public schools.
However, there are LGUs that help in the Kindergarten program and provide honoraria for
Which Mother Tongue will be used as the language of instruction in multi-cultural areas?
The principle of MTB-MLE is to use the language that learners are most comfortable and
familiar with; therefore, the common language in the area or lingua franca shall be used as the
language of instruction
Will Mother Tongue Based Multi-Lingual Education (MTB-MLE) include other languages
in the future?
Languages other than the 19 current mother tongues (Bahasa Sug, Bikol, Cebuano, Chabacano,
Senior High School (SHS) covers the last two years of the K to 12 program and includes Grades
11 and 12. In SHS, students will go through a core curriculum and subjects under a track of their
choice.
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Yes. These two additional years will equip learners with skills that will better prepare them for
Employment
Entrepreneurship
Students will undergo assessments to determine their strengths and interests. These will include
an aptitude test, a career assessment exam, and an occupational interest inventory for high
schools. Career advocacy activities will also be conducted to help guide students in choosing
the area, the needs and interests of most students, and the opportunities and demands of the
community.
Standard requirements will be applied to make sure graduates know enough to be hirable.
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You will now be able to apply for TESDA Certificates of Competency (COCs) and
Partnerships with different companies will be offered for technical and vocational
courses.
You can now get work experience while studying; and companies can even hire you after
you graduate.
Entrepreneurship courses will now be included. Instead of being employed, you can choose to
start your own business after graduating, or choose to further your education by going to college.
SHS, as part of the K to 12 Basic Curriculum, was developed in line with the curriculum
of the Commission of Higher Education (CHED) – the governing body for college and
This ensures that by the time you graduate from Senior High School, you will have the
Yes, according to the law. Beginning SY 2016-2017, you must go through Grades 11 and 12 to
You will be a grade 10 completer, but not a high school graduate. Elementary graduates are those
who finish grade 6; high school graduates must have finished grade 12.
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What will I learn in SHS that the current high school curriculum doesn’t include?
Senior High School covers eight learning areas as part of its core curriculum, and adds specific
Academic (which includes Business, Science & Engineering, Humanities & Social
qualifications)
Sports
SHS Students may pick a track based on how he or she will want to proceed after high school
graduation. You can learn more about the tracks and strands (as well as their curriculum) on
deped.gov.ph.
Where will Senior High School be implemented? Will my school offer SHS?
Existing public and private schools, including colleges, universities and technical
There may also be stand-alone Senior High Schools established by DepEd or private
organizations.
Private schools may offer Grade 11 as early as SY 2015-2016 to interested students. However,
Senior High School before SY 2016-2017 is voluntary for both private schools and students, and
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there will be no funding assistance from the government to private Senior High School before
SY 2016-2017.
Will SHS modelling schools that implemented the SHS program in SY 2012-13 be allowed
SHS modelling schools listed in DepEd Order No. 71, s. 2013 may implement the SHS program,
but they must go through the process of applying a provisional SHS permit, and must meet the
All schools and organizations must first apply for a permit from DepEd. Different
institutions may also partner with each other and apply for SHS as a group.
Temporary permits will be issued by DepEd for those who meet the requirements for the
There are 334 private schools with SHS permits beginning in SY 2014 or 2015. Last
March 31, 2015, provisional permits have been issued to 1,122 private schools that will
What other information should applicants remember in applying for a SHS permit?
Applications must contain the requirements detailed in DepEd Memo No. 4, series of
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the SHS-NTF on a first come-first served basis. Submission of letters of intent only will
not be processed.
The proposed SHS Curriculum consistent with the final SHS Curriculum issued by
Who receives, evaluates and approves the applications for provisional SHS permits? Who
The SHS-National Task Force (SHS-NTF) will receive applications from interested
parties, establish the process and criteria in evaluating selected applicants, and evaluate
Regional Offices will be deputized to conduct on-site validation for all applicants. The
on-site validation will focus on the provision of SHS requirements for the proposed
track/strand, and will certify that a school exhibits the necessary SHS requirements to
The DepEd Secretary approves applications for the SHS Program and issues provisional
permits to applicants upon the recommendation of the Undersecretary for Programs and
Projects.
Will the additional two years of High School mean additional expenses?
Not necessarily.
Senior High School “completes” basic education by making sure that the high school
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from the 10-year cycle where high school graduates still need further education (and
SHS will be offered free in public schools and there will be a voucher program in place
for public junior high school completers as well as ESC beneficiaries of private high
This means that the burden of expenses for the additional two years need not be
You can find out more at www.deped.gov.ph/k-to-12. You can also ask your school
administration (public or private) to contact the DepEd division office to help organize an
orientation seminar.
For Students
The voucher program can provide high-quality education for all types of students. Even
those who normally do not have the financial means will be able to choose from different
schools. They will not be limited to the schools that are provided by the DepEd.
Private schools with SHS will be able to tap into an expanded market — students from
But are we really sure that it will work in the Philippine education system?
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In SY 2012-2013, DepEd tested the SHS program to over 10,000 students in a total of 56 schools
around the Philippines. The results of this modelling program, including best practices and
learning experiences of students, have influenced the creation of the current SHS curriculum.
Private partners can donate through the Adopt-A-School program. A 150% tax incentive
DOLE on the actual number of affected faculty from private higher education institutions
(HEIs). The worst-case scenario is that 39,000 HEI faculty will lose their jobs over 5
years. This will only happen if none of the HEIs will put up their own Senior High
Schools, which is since we are currently processing over 1,000 SHS applications from
private institutions.
DepEd is also hiring more than 30,000 new teachers in 2016 alone. The Department will
prioritize affected faculty who will apply as teachers or administrators in our SHS.
If you are willing to teach on a part-time basis, you will not be required to take and pass
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If you want a permanent position, you will need to take and pass the LET within five
teacher?
DepEd and private schools may also hire practitioners with expertise in the specialized
*Faculty of TVIs and HEIs will be given priority in hiring for the transition period from
You may teach as part-time teacher in Senior High School under the track subjects. We
encourage you to consider this to share your valuable knowledge and experience to our
SHS learners.
The College General Education curriculum will have fewer units. Subjects that have been
taken up in Basic Education will be removed from the College General Education
curriculum.
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Details of the new GE Curriculum may be found in CHED Memorandum Order No. 20,
series of 2013.
Before the K to 12 Program, it was one of three countries in the world with a 10-year pre-
For Filipino graduates to be able to compete globally and to adopt education standards that are
recognized worldwide, the K to 12 Program was implemented through the Enhanced Basic
However, less than two months before the start of the implementation of the Senior High School
(SHS) this June, the last phase of the K to 12 Program, teachers are calling for the suspension of
the program.
Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC), a group of Filipino educators with a membership of 30,000
teachers from across the country, agrees that the Philippine educational system should be the
countries.
The organization, which seeks to uphold the rights and welfare of teachers in various fields, also
recognizes the need for reform and the additional year for the basic education program.
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But Anabelle dela Cerna, TDC vice chairman for the Visayas, said the group is calling for the
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) in Central Visayas also shares the same sentiment
and wants the program implementation suspended. ACT is an alliance of public school teachers
in the country. ACT-7 has 7,000 members, 1,600 of whom are from Metro Cebu.
"We are calling for the suspension of K to 12! We need to solve all the problems of the
educational system then rigorously plan the new curriculum," TDC's Dela Cerna told The
FREEMAN.
Dela Cerna said majority of the schools in the country still lack teachers, classrooms, chairs and
reading materials, but the government continues to push for the implementation of the
program. She said books and learning materials for junior high school are not even completed,
"Our system has not solved problems like lack of classrooms, shortage of teachers,lack of books
and chairs, no comfort rooms in schools, no water system etcetera Our educational system should
solve first all these problems before it will implement such curriculum," she said, adding that the
K to 12 curriculum is "half-baked" and that many higher education institution teachers will be
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"If we cannot solve issues and old problems in the educational system, we cannot implement a
ACT-7 president Antonia Lim, meanwhile, said buildings intended for K to 12 are still being
constructed or have just started construction like in the Abellana National High School (ANHS)
Lim claims that DepEd has been instructing school principals to reduce this year's enrollment for
Learning materials that are being produced for elementary to junior high and textbooks for
Senior High School, which has specialized subjects, are still being bid out, she said, adding that
there are still no books available for SHS, as well Grades 1, 7 and 10.
"The government should accept that we are not yet ready for K to 12. Everything is lacking, from
"[The country] does not need [the K-to-12 program] to achieve quality education. It can't be
defined only through the number of years [in school] because issues, such as the lack of learning
materials, classrooms and health and sanitation facilities, should first be addressed," Lim added.
TDC and ACT also raised problemsabout the SHS tracks and strands.
Dela Cerna explained that because SHS schools will be offering different strands or majors,
students would have to look for a school that offers the strand they want to take up.
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A student who wants to take up the culinary strand, she cited, will be looking for a school that
offers it. She expressed concern that students from poor families cannot even go to schools that
are near where they live because of financial problems, how much more if students have to look
for schools that are far from where they are living."Basically, students will stop going to school
Lim uses the situation at the ANHS to illustrate the SHS problem. The school had at least 1,400
junior high graduates last March, but it can only accommodate around 600 SHS students this
June. The school is also offering only the Tech-Voc and Sports tracks.
Graduates who are not tech-voc and sports-inclined students, Lim said, willhave to go to other
schools, mostly private, where General Academic and Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics (STEM) tracks are offered. She added that because of this situation, private schools
The Voucher Program covers public Junior High School completers who wish to pursue SHS in
non-DepEd schools such as private high schools, colleges and universities; local universities and
colleges (LUCs); State Universities and Colleges (SUCs); and Technical and Vocational schools.
The voucher enables students to claim a "discount" from the cost of tuition and other fees
charged by a non-DepED SHS where he or she will enroll. The voucher subsidy is disbursed by
The value of the discount, which ranges from P10,000 to P22,500 depends on the location of
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Saying that the curriculum for the K to 12 Program is "imprecise" and "vague," ACT's Lim said
the teachers are not ready for their SHS responsibilities, too.
There are certain subjects under the old college curriculum that have been transferred or added to
the K to 12's SHS curriculum resulting to fewer units under the College General Education
curriculum.
The teachers tasked to handle SHS, Lim said are "not prepared and competent" enough to teach
the SHS subjects after undergoing only five days of training. Social Science, for instance, she
Dela Cerna, meanwhile, also said they are saddened after learning that DepEd is hiring teachers
for the SHS but the teachers will only be trained for less than a month."A course that is basically
very new to them but they need to learn for short time because they will already be teaching this
TDC also raised issues regarding the "contractualization" of teachers under K to 12 Program,
saying some teachers are hired based on contracts and as part timers, especially those teachers
DEPED defends K to 12
Despite criticisms from teachers who are part of the department, DepEd defends the K to 12
Program and insists that all its 221 divisions have finished planning and have figures on
enrolment a year in advance. These plans were reviewed by a separate team and finalized upon
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Curriculum is "standards and competence-based"
The DepED said the K to 12 Curriculum is standards and competence-based, is inclusive and is
built around the needs of the learners and the community.The crafting of the curriculum for
The SHS curriculum covers a total of 31 subjects, at least 15 of which comprise the core subjects
that stemmed from eight learning areas: Language, Humanities, Communication, Mathematics,
The remaining 16 subjects consist of the track subjects. The Academic Track prepares students
should they plan to pursue college education while the Tech-Voc, Sports, and Arts and Design
tracks will equip students with the skills needed to secure jobs in the field they want.
Isaiash Wagas, the program coordinator for SHS of DepEd-Cebu Province Division, said the
plotting of courses for the core subjects, the applied track subjects and the specialized subjects
Each subject must be taken up for 80 hours per semester, except P.E. and Health, which only
"As a matter of general rule, all subjects must be taken up everyday," he said but added that there
could be some exemptions wherein subjects may not be taught on a daily basis but may be
One of the important aspects considered for mapping out the subjects is the availability of
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"If the handling teacher is not available, you will have to device it another way," he said,
stressing that there is already an electronic program designed to be user-friendly for school heads
To address the issue on the number of teachers, DepEd has filled 128,105 new teacher items
nationwide from 2010 to 2014. The department has been hiring two kinds of teachers: those who
will teach the core subjects, and those who will teach the specialized subjects per track. DepEd
will hire 37,000 teachers nationwide for SHS for 2016 alone.
In the Visayas, at least 7,162 teachers (3,011 for Eastern Visayas; 2,400 for Cebu Province; and
1,751 for Western Visayas)are needed this school year as school officials gear for the full
DepEd started accepting applications from teachers last January until February. Screenings for
the applicants are still ongoing this month wherein applicants are interview by respective
division heads.
SHS coordinator for DepEd Central Visayas Tomas Pastor said there are at least 2,186 teacher
He added that instructional materials or textbooks for SHS are now available at the DepEd
Pastor said the preparations for SHS in the region is already at the 70 percent level and is
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In matters concerning the lack of classrooms, the DepEd reported that it has constructed a total
In the DepEd Cebu Province Division, a consolidated report shows that as of March 28 this year,
some 932 classrooms are still under construction while 72 classrooms have been completed.
At least 16 classrooms have not yet started construction while another eight is still under the
procurement process.
In Central Visayas, the DepEd-7is proposing a P21.9-billion budget for 2017 to fund the
The bulk of the proposed budget or P14.136 billion is for the regular operations for K to 12.
Around P5.136 billion has been proposed for the senior high school operations, while the
The biggest portion of the K to 12 budget will go to the provision and maintenance of basic
education facilities amounting to P10.121 billion. Some P1.6 billion will also be allocated for
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For SHS, P2.69 billion has been set aside for the provision and maintenance of basic education
facilities. Of the amount, P1.41 billion is for Cebu and P383.2 million of which is for the sixth
At least P637.33 million is proposed for the creation of new teachers I position items for SHS in
the region. About half of the amount or P337.21 is allocated for Cebu Province.
The 2017 budget that DepEd -7 proposed for SHS also include P1.01 billion for workshops;
P169.62 million for textbooks and learning materials; P587 million for the Voucher Program.
DepEd has the biggest budget allocation among national government agencies. In 2014, DepEd
had a budget of P290 billion and this increased to P370 billion in 2015.
DepEd got a record-high P436.46 billion this year for the roll out of the SHS program this June
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Reference
- Bilbao, P. P., Lucido, P. I., Iringan, T. C., and R. B. Javier (2008). Curriculum
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curriculum#Etymology
- https://wreigh.wordpress.com/2011/05/14/history-of-curriculum-in-the-philippines/
- https://www.slideshare.net/johnarvin18/historical-foundations-of-curriculum-in-the-philippines
- Glatthorn, Allan A. The Principal as Curriculum Leader: Shaping What Is Taught and
Tested. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press 2000. Purita P. Bilbao, et al.
- http://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/k-12/
- http://www.philstar.com/cebu-news/2016/04/26/1577040/k-12-are-we-ready-senior-high-
conclusion
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