What moms think of the K to 12 Program

A young biology graduate in Iloilo was accepted into the medical program of a prestigious American university. However, as she did not undergo the K to 12 program, the university wanted her to repeat in the US her last two years of college.

Rachel Antoinette Contreras, a graduate of the Central Philippine University, told GMA News Online that she applied at the University of San Francisco which is reputed to have a good medical program. "I applied last year. All my grades, everything, I passed everything."

"But the big problem there is they told me that I have to repeat my last two years of college and practically take the same subjects that I took because I lack two years in the basic education course, which is, what's the point? I finished my degree already," said Contreras, vice chairman of the Student Council Association of the Philippines.

Contreras said the K to 12 Program, which covers Kinder and 12 years of basic education, will be beneficial to those who would like to pursue further studies in universities abroad.

"The thing here with K to 12, I see the beauty in it because we have a lot of students here in the Philippines who have the capability to study further, take up PhDs, masters or go into law school, med school...But the thing is [without K to 12], they have to take another two years of college which is sayang," she said.

The full implementation of the K to 12 Pogram began this school year and the first batch of students to complete the program will graduate next year.

Before the K to 12 Program began to be implemented in the country in 2011, the Philippines was the only remaining country in Asia and one of only three countries worldwide with a 10-year pre-university cycle. The other two countries are Angola and Djibouti.

Is the school system ready?

Meikah Ybañez-Delid, a blogger whose son is part of the first batch of students who will finish Grade 12 next year, said that in principle and theory, the K to 12 Program is good.

"In implementation and execution, it may be lacking. Will it work? We don't know yet. Is our school system ready? I don't think so," said Delid, a mother of two.

"We, first-batch parents, are playing it by ear with much trepidation of our children's progress and future. I thought it was only a problem with my school, but I had my son apply to almost all big and reputable schools for Senior High and I would meet parents who shared the same thoughts and fears," she told GMA News Online.

Delid recalled seeing schools, both public and private, still constructing buildings for Grades 11 to 12 students, close to the opening of classes.

"Are teachers ready? Not sure. Some say they are not, especially in the area of teaching the increasing difficulty per subject matter," she added.

Yael Fernandez, mom of two children ages 11 and 16, said "I'm in favor of the K to 12 program. Most kids only reach up to high school level. With the additional two years and if they choose the vocational track, they will be given a certificate that qualifies them immediately for skilled work — call center, animation, hotel receptionist, and others — not just any work like fastfood chain crew that doesn't really require any special skills. Being equipped with specialized skills allows them to be employed faster and with a higher salary."

Fernandez said entering college at age 18 or 19 is also better for the student. "This will minimize uncertainty in terms of the course to take. When they enter college at 16, many still don't know what course to pursue and would probably just follow what their parents or friends say. Then they end up switching courses once or twice before they graduate. When they're 18, they're more mature and already know what they want and are more disciplined in their studies."

She said the K to12 Program may only be disadvantageous "for those who are going straight to college and plan to work in the country."

"It challenges the mindset of Filipinos who always want to display the college diploma of their kids. The reality is that most jobs do not require a college education. There are greater chances for your kid to be employed if he or she completes the vocational track for senior high," she added.

Apart from the K to 12 Program, Fernandez, a tour guide, said some of the other reforms needed in the education system include exposing teachers and principals to new ways of thinking and not rely on traditional methods for evaluating students' performance."

"A lot of teachers still require students to do a lot of memorization. Train the kids to think and to be critical and not just believe everything the teacher or Facebook says," she said.

Choosing career paths

Susette Poblete-Deang, mom of four kids, said she is in favor of the K to 12 Program because "it gives students the chance to specialize in a field as and can be more employable once finishing K to12 because of the added skills they acquire."

Deang lived with her family in Singapore for five years and saw how local schools there applied a process called "streaming" to help students in choosing career paths.

She said "age 18, when one enters adulthood, seems to be just the right age to decide on what one wants to do career-wise. I definitely feel I was too young at 15, which was my age when I took the UPCAT [UP College Admission Test] and chose my course."

She lamented the reported high number of students who have allegedly dropped out despite the government subsidies provided.

Mel Diaz-Tan, a mom of three kids ages 16 to 23, said, "In principle, I'm in favor of K-12 and its objectives but I do not think the government planned its implementation very well. It sort of reflects how we like to do things, 'let us force the issue now and solve the problems later.'"

"If we are well prepared for this how come so many students are dropping out? It defeats the purpose of having better educated and more competitive graduates if we have less and less of them," said Tan, operations head of a an insurance brokerage firm.

"But I do hope we catch on soon and really realize the benefits of K to 12 and not have something that merely widened the gap between the 'can afford' and the 'have nots,'" she added.

Tan also thinks there is a need for higher budget for education to build more classrooms and pay more capable teachers in public schools.

Challenges

Meanwhile, Divina Barros, a skin clinic manager whose daughter is a kindergartener, said she is in favor of the K to 12 Program.

She said she wants to be very supportive of her child's education. She chose to enrol her at a private school despite free public education.

"Based kasi sa experience ko, sa public school ako nung elementary, nung high school, nag-private school ako, nilamon ako ng mga kaklase ko

parang nawalan ako nang gana," Barros said as she recounted the difficulty in adjusting to the school load.

Anabell Belhida, a cashier at Caritas Manila, said she is also in favor of the K to 12 Program, saying the extra two years in school, is helpful for the general well-being and emotional growth of children.

For her, it seemed too early for 16 year olds to finish high school and start college.

Genielyn Catabos, a therapist with three children, on the other hand, said she has some hesitation about the K to 12 Program. "Parang hindi maganda. Ang haba kasi ng panahon sa pag-aaral hindi katulad dati."

Even though education is free in public schools, Catabos said the costs are still high for parents who have to provide for the students' food, allowances, transportation, and others. — gallery by Jessica Bartolome/RSJ, GMA News