Palace disagrees with group's scenario of 1M dropouts because of K to 12

Malacañang on Sunday dismissed a militant youth group’s warning that an estimated 1 million students might be forced to drop out of school with the implementation of the K to 12 program next school year.

 

In an interview aired over the state-run dzRB radio, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. maintained that the K to 12 program will be beneficial to students in the long run as they will become more globally competitive.

 

He said the government doesn’t see the mass dropout scenario described by Anakbayan as happening in the near future.

 

“Hindi po natin nakikita ‘yung senaryo na kanilang ipinipinta hinggil dito, kaya ang atin pong posisyon diyan ay doon pa rin sa aspeto na masiglang pagpapatupad nito. Wala po tayong hangarin dito na mapariwara, bagkus gusto natin pong mapabuti ang kinabukasan ng ating mga kabataan,” Coloma said.

 

Citing data from reports submitted to Congress and the Department of Education, Anakbayan national chair Vencer Crisostomo warned that over a million students might have to abandon their education altogether since they will not be accommodated in public schools.

 

He said only 48 percent of these institutions have submitted proposals to implement the senior high school program next school year.

 

According to Crisostomo, there are currently around 2 million students in 4th year high school who will need to enroll in senior high school next year. 

 

“Students will be forced to transfer to private schools and pay expensive tuition. But many are in public schools precisely because they cannot pay. What will happen to them? Surely, the number of out-of-school youths and dropouts will balloon,” he said in a statement.

The DepEd said on its website that Senior High School will be offered free in public schools and will be supplemented by a voucher program for qualified public school students who take senior high school in private schools.

Coloma urged Anakbayan and critics of K to 12 to study their position on the issue carefully. “Kung mayroon pong mga kakaibang mga pananaw, sana po ay pag-aralan nilang mabuti ‘yung kanilang posisyon,” he said.

 

Under the DepEd’s enhanced basic education program, a student will be required to undergo kindergarten, six years of elementary, four years of junior high school and two years of senior high school.

 

The implementation of universal kindergarten began in school year 2011-2012, followed by a new curriculum for Grade 7 in school year 2012-2013.

 

School year 2016-2017 will mark the nationwide implementation of the Grade 11 curriculum, to be followed by the Grade 12 curriculum in school year 2017-2018. — Xianne Arcangel/JDS, GMA News