mmalabanan
MANILA, Philippines- Senator Antonio Trillanes IV is advocating for the suspension of the implementation of the K to 12 program.
On Wednesday, March 18, the administration ally urged President Benigno Aquino III and the Supreme Court to delay the new education program which is supposed to give more jobs to Filipinos.
Trillanes pointed out that the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, which will add two years to basic education in the country, will result to higher dropout rate.
In his privilege speech, Trillanes believes that the country is not yet ready for the big change in the education system. He said that the additional expenses brought about by the K to 12 program will discourage students from continuing school.
“Dahil sa K to 12, asahan nating tataas pa ang dropout rate sa mga paaralan.”
Because of K to 12, we can expect higher dropout rate in schools.
According to Trillanes, parents need to spend an additional P20,000 for extra years in the program. This, along with the rise in the price of commodities, will put a big burden on the parents of K to 12 students.
Based on Trillanes’ observation, he found that several schools in the country are still unprepared for the new curriculum. He stressed that the government should focus on providing more classrooms and textbooks to schools lacking of the resources.
Over 86,000 faculty members in private higher education institutions may possibly be displaced upon the implementation of the new program.
“Napakahirap tanggapin na ang isang programa na nangangakong magbibigay ng trabaho sa maraming kabataan ang siya ring magtatanggal sa trabaho sa marami sa ating mga educators sa bansa,” Trillanes stated.
It’s hard to accept that a program which promises to give jobs to many young Filipinos will also displace many educators in the country.
Meanwhile, the Department of Education revealed that the country will be lacking 34,000 classrooms for the incoming students of the K to 12 program on its first year of implementation.
The K to 12 program, which will be implemented under Republic Act 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, will require students to undergo kindergarten, six years of elementary education, four years of junior high school, and two years of senior high school beginning school year 2016-2017.
