The Philippines' K-12 Program: O-K or NOT O-K

The K-12 program was launched by the Depart of Education. It's purpose was to keep the Philippines in track with the education system of other countries especially our neighbors. According to some data, the Philippines is one of the countries where people spend the least time on school. For that reason the K-12 was initiated to improve our education system and to produce more job ready people all in the name of our country and its citizens.



But now, some senior high students are about to graduate, and a question lingers in the air; was the program good or not?
Was it a boon for us? Or was it a bane, a hindrance for the youth of our country?

In my own opinion and as a (soon to be) teacher myself, I think the initiative was just fine. One of the main issues that the program aims to resolve really was a gape in the education system of our country. In that our students should stay in  school a little longer. I had the same issue as I was thrown immediately into college when I didn't even knew what "courses" meant. The only thing that I knew back then that I had to go to college for my future and nothing more. I think that I wasn't yet matured enough to tackle college. But with this program, high school students must first go through another 2 years (plus mandatory kindergarten) before going on to college. This time period might ripen their minds in preparation for their future lives and in so on can fully know and realize what kind of path they should take.

Though I can perfectly understand why some people might perceive the K-12 program as a bane to themselves or their parents. Traditionally throughout the years in our country, just after 4 years of high school, parents already prepare for the cost of sending their kids to college. I understand that this sudden 2 year delay or blockade in their children's studying/schooling time might be a sudden hindrance. But remember, change always happen and needs to happen. The parents shouldn't really blame the Department of Education for this, rather I think they need to adapt themselves to this sudden change of pace.

In conclusion, the K-12 wasn't really that much of a bane to the Filipino people, but in my own opinion was a bane to the traditionalism of the people.