More teachers, trainings, rooms bug K12 in MtProv

HAPPY WEEKEND

By Gina Dizon

The demands of  K to 12 curriculum is felt  in Mountain Province and  Department of  Education  schools superintendent  Dr Sally Ullalim says changes about by the K to 12  curriculum  shall be realized gradually  with developments  introduced  one at a time.

In a press conference with Montanosa Press Club, Ullalim said increase of teachers is noted with 82 teacher positions hired this school year 2013. Regularization of kinder school teachers is included, she said and this means their salaries are at par with other elementary school teachers.

On the hiring of teachers, applicants need not go through recommendations from the congressman, the governor, or the mayor to be considered for the job, she said.  Ullalim was  emphatic in saying the  final  say in the hiring  process  rests  with the  appointing authority  referring to the  schools division superintendent  (SDS)  after the applicant  has gone through the hiring process and  ranking based on qualifications.  Although the recommendation of a municipal mayor or the congressman is noted for purposes of considering the needs of a certain LGU with support funds coming from said office. But, recommending authority has to  select from  ranked  applicants and not  necessarily mean that that recommended  applicant shall be  selected as the final  decision  stays with the appoint authority, Ullalim  added.

Though Ullalim discourages the allotment of LGU funds for teacher salaries saying DepEd should increase its budget for wages of teachers.  

With the increase of  teachers and  grade  levels, additional classrooms  logically are  a need for  the  Province’s  200 elementary schools and  62  secondary  schools.  Additional   Grade 7 and 5th year or Grade 12 students mean added classrooms in secondary schools. The needs shall be assessed with the conduct of a curriculum and needs review along with the needed budget in the coming months, the schools superintendent said.

For a curriculum which regularizes  Kinder 1 and Kinder 2  included in elementary  education and Grade 7 and a 5^th year included in  secondary schools, much is desired from  students  to finish  a  6 year  secondary  education, in total a 12 year  pre-tertiary schooling.

Changes include the mother tongue as lingua franca to be used in kinder grades to Grade 3 thus demanding trainings for elementary school teachers with trainings conducted even on weekends.  Ullalim said interactive learning is the approach in K to 12 educations with less attention to books.

Much is also demanded from  parents to  have their  children finish  a 12 year elementary  to high school  education including  the demands of rising  education costs  as tuition fees and  lengthened   pre-college years  before entering another four to five year  college degree course.

Ullalim says changes shall be done one at a time to meet the demands of a global K to 12 curriculums with 12 years in elementary and secondary education.