Is government ready for K to 12 program?

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

BAGUIO CITY -- The implementation of the K to 12 program by the government is now experiencing birth pains. A meeting a few days ago convened by the Division Office of the Dept. of Education in Baguio among private and public school heads revealed the government may not yet be prepared for the program.

It was bared during the meeting the application of the Baguio City National High School to pilot the program next year, for one, was disapproved by the DepEd central office for reasons officials of the latter only knew.

Why didn’t these DepEd big shots in Manila grant the application of the BCNHS so they would be better prepared come 2016 when the program is supposed to be in full implementation? There is more than meets the eye if this is happening nationwide.

Now, some quarters are apprehensive about the preparedness of the government and if it is really intent in implementing the program. It was revealed during the Baguio meeting that the government would shoulder tuition of students who would opt to enrol in private schools near their areas.

Tuition in private schools who would take part in the K to 12 program could run from P15,000 to P25,000. The tuition would cover grades 11 and 12 which is actually first and second year in college. Considering millions of students who would enrol in private schools who would carry the program, can the government afford to pay their tuition?

Under the K to 12 program, schools who would opt to join the program could join by selecting four “tracks” which they would offer in their curriculum. These include general academics, technical vocation, sports and arts and design.

There is reason to believe, although enacted into law, Congress may yet defer its implementation by amending its provisions, considering its loopholes and preparedness of government to implement it.

On May 15, 2014, President Benigno Aquino signed Republic Act 10533 institutionalizing the DepEd program. This system according to DepEd covers kindergarten, six years of primary education or from Grade1 one to 6, four years of junior high school or from Grade 7 to 10 and two years of senior high school.

The department stated this will “provide sufficient time for mastery and concepts and skills develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship.

Now pundits are saying it’s a damn-if-you-do, damn-if-you-don’t situation for the education department on implementation of K to 12.

In Baguio, Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Metro-Baguio committee on public affairs and campaign officer Tomas Millanes said  the government through DepEd, is implementing programs like K+12 without necessary preparations.

He said problems such as scarcity of text books, chairs and other needed teaching materials and facilities are not really being addressed. He cited lack of classrooms for conducive learning for Grades 1 to 6 pupils and first to fourth year high school students. “Where will students of Grades 9 to 12 of K+12 hold classes considering there is a lack of classroooms?” he asked.

Millanes said what pupils actually need is more basic such as schools conducive for learning to attain good quality education. He said in Baguio City alone, classrooms are still overcrowded. He said the ideal is one room for 35 students but in reality, there are cases where students are jampacked in a classroom.

“Adda dagiti sumagmamano nga eskuwelaan nga ag kurang ti classrooms ket awan pay met sumangpet a projects tayo for classroom buildings,” (There are some schools that are lacking of classrooms and we have still no projects for classroom buildings) said Baguio Schools Division Superintendent Francis Bringas in an earlier media forum.He said that there are however some projects for the purpose funded by the city government of Baguio.

Bringas said Baguio teachers may still have to use old text books depending on the competencies they are looking for their students to cope up with as some of the needed new and updated text books for grades 7 and 9 were not yet available. Teachers however said with incomplete textbooks, they are now photocopying these so their students could be updated. Others said some of the textbooks have arrived but more were needed.

On the suggestion that implementation of the K+12 be suspended or postponed because of problems surrounding it, Bringas said it was already signed into law.

The ball is now in the hands of Congress to appraise implementation of the K to 12 program.