ACT says revision of K to 12 curriculum ‘delayed, misguided’

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) on Tuesday raised concerns about the Department of Education’s (DepEd) plan to revise the K to 12 curriculum, calling the move delayed and misguided.

Interviewed on GMA News’ Unang Balita, ACT chairman Vladimer Quetua said that DepEd’s assessment on the review of the K to 12 curriculum should have been released in 2018 or five years after the establishment of the K to 12 program in 2013 through the Enhanced Basic Education Act.

In her presentation of the Basic Education Report 2023 on Monday, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte said that the K to 12 curriculum will be revised in a bid to produce more “competent, job-ready, active, and responsible” graduates.

“Ang nakakatakot dito ay kapag binago ang K to 12, madaming mawawala. Kaya ang termino namin dito, delayed and misguided. Dapat ang K to 12 ay dapat sa pangangailangan ng Pilipino,” Quetua said.

(What is scary here is that when K to 12 is revised, a lot will be lost. Thus, we call it delayed and misguided. The K to 12 should be for the needs of Filipinos.)

“Imagine, tatanggalin ang MAPEH, tatanggalin ‘yung Mother Tongue subject kung saan malaking ang apekto nito sa holistiko ng aming mga kabataan. Halimbawa, sa values formation kung sa MAPEH ‘yan, tapos ‘yung socialization o pakikihalubilo kung sa Mother Tongue subject ‘yan,” he added.

(Imagine, MAPEH and the Mother Tongue subject will be removed. It will have a big impact on the holistic [development] of our youth. For example, their values formation for MAPEH, and socialization skills for the Mother Tongue subject.)

MAPEH stands for Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health.

GMA News Online sought the comment of DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa, but he said he would no longer comment on the matter.

Based on her report, Duterte said that DepEd will review the implementation of the Mother Tongue-based Multilingual Education Policy, stressing that “learners learn when taught in a language that they understand.”

“We will improve English proficiency while recognizing linguistic diversity. We will work towards the goal of English language proficiency within the context of a multilingual nation,” she said.

The agency is also set to reduce the number of learning areas in K to 3, from seven to five, to focus on foundational skills in literacy and numeracy in the early grades, and revitalize the Reading, Science and Technology, and Math programs.

DepEd will also intensify the values formation of learners in curriculum and teaching, particularly through the Good Manners and Right Conduct and Values Education in adherence to Republic Act 11476. It will also embed the culture of peace in the curriculum to develop learners who are “peace builders” in communities, according to Duterte. —KG, GMA Integrated News