Filipino Leaders Want K-12 Program to Continue
MANILA: The Philippine Congress leaders are opposing the decision to abolish K-to-12 program tooth and nail, saying that it would increase unemployment among Filipino youth, according to a media report.
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. of Quezon City, House Deputy Majority Leader Sherwin Tugna of Citizens Battle Against Corruption party-list and Commission on Appointments’ Mel Senen Sarmiento of Western Samar warned against the bleak fallout amid petitions against the K-to-12 implementation lodged before the Supreme Court, Manila Times reported.
The K-to-12 program calls for additional two years in high school (Grade 11 and Grade 12), and allows the students to choose from five contextualized subject tracks: academic, technical-vocational livelihood, arts/design and sports, the report said.
The main objective behind the program is to make senior-high school graduates employable, considering that a lot of households could not afford a college education for their children because of rising cost, it added.
Among those who filed a petition seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) were Sen. Antonio Trillanes 4th and Magdalo party-list Representatives Gary Alejano and Ashley Acedilllo, all of whom are allies of President Benigno Aquino 3rd, it was pointed out.
“I am confident that there will be no TRO [that will be issued]. We’re just one of the few countries without a K-to1-12 program which undermines the employability of our graduates, especially in jobs abroad,” Belmonte reportedly said in a text message.
“Stopping it would be counter-productive. It has its good purpose of empowering students to be technically competent and employment-ready, even if they do not proceed to college. Leaders, especially the petitioners, should look at the end game of K-to-12 because a TRO will be self-defeating,” Tugna was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, Records at the Education Department reportedly show that at least 25,000 teaching and non-teaching personnel will lose their jobs because of the full implementation of the K-to-12 program.
The job losses will result from reduction in college enrollment that may adversely affect operational viability of various higher educational institutions, the report said.
Of the 25,000, 13,634 are teaching personnel (2,794 permanent and 10,840 non-permanent) and 11,456 are non-teaching personnel (5,702 permanent and 5,754 non-permanent), Manila Times reported.