Education different this school year

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Jennelyn Mondejar

DAGUPAN CITY— Education as most Filipinos know it will be different next school year, Education Secretary Armin Luistro recently bared here.

            Luistro was referring to changes in education curriculum for implementation of the K+12 beginning June this year.

            Speaking before hundreds of elementary and high school teachers from regions 1, 2, 3 and the Cordillera Administrative Region, Luistro said the educational system has been changed to make it more adaptable to students according to their localities, preference in learning, and in their career options.

            To effect the changes, children five years of age will have to undergo kindergarten school, he said during the Education Summit for the K+12 at the Lyceum-Northwestern University.

            This would make them more comfortable in entering grade 1, he said, adding that in the succeeding three years, local language will be used as a medium of instruction and with the lessons patterned after the community.

            After four years in junior high school, the students will undergo an additional two years of senior high school as career preparation.

            The secretary asked the teachers to be more innovative with their approach in teaching.

            Meanwhile, it was bared during the summit that the local government in Los Baños, Laguna is collaborating with Trace College in making available the “study-now-pay-later” scheme to poor but deserving Los Banos students beginning June 2012.

            A project of Mayor Ton Genuino, students from poor families who can’t afford spiraling tuition will be given priority. Under the scheme, students who passed the examination and screening will pay full payment of tuition only after finishing a course and securing a permanent job.

            Trace College will also open its technology research and development center this coming June school opening.

            According to Trace College, the center is the biggest and modern department that will cater to technical vocational courses like welding, electrical installation, servicing technology, masonry, air conditioning, refrigeration servicing, therapeutic massage, and computer hardware servicing.