DepEd action center ready to address public’s concerns on K to 12

As different schools from across the country welcome the first batch of Grade 11 students on Monday in line with the K to 12 implementation, the Department of Education (DepEd) is now ready to receive complaints and suggestions through its newly-established action center in Pasig City.

According to a live report by Bam Alegre on Unang Balita on Monday, the DepEd action center provides public assistance to those who would want to know the study tracks or strands for the Senior High School (SHS) program.

Those who would like to reach the DepEd action center for general queries may call the number: (02) 636-1663. For concerns about the K to 12 implementation and SHS Program, people may call (02) 667-01188.

Concerns may also be forwarded to the action center’s email address: @deped.gov.ph.

Based on DepEd's data, there are 28,844 SHS program offerings spread among 5,990 DepEd public schools nationwide. On top of this number are 28,991 SHS programs offered by 5,046 private schools.

SHS students are given the chance to choose from among four tracks which include Academic Track, Arts and Design Track, Sports Track, and Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) Track.

"What's important to note here is that these programs offer our incoming senior high school students real choices, consistent with the intention of the K to 12 Program, which is to make education learner-centered, inclusive, competence-based, and responsive to the needs of the community,” DepEd Assistant Secretary for Curriculum and Instruction Elvin Uy said in a press statement.

Under the Academic track, students may choose from the four strands: Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM), Humanities and Social Sciences, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and General Academic.

Meanwhile, the TVL track equips the student with skills and competencies that prepare them for employment upon completion. It has specializations under its Agri-Fishery Arts, Home Economics, Industrial Arts, Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) strands.

TVL program is the most popular track next to Academic track. Over 40 percent of the more than 1.3 million Grade 10 completers chose TVL track for the SHS program.

"If the students take specializations under the same strand, they strengthen their competencies in a particular sector; on the other hand, if they take subjects from different strands, it can work, too, because their exposure is more diverse,” Uy added. —Kiersnerr Gerwin Tacadena/KG, GMA News