Improving the Philippine Education System through the K to 12
Education Program
Expanding the duration of basic education. The Philippines is the only country in Southeast
Asia and one of the only three countries in the world with a ten-year program prior to entry to
the university.
Two more years of basic education will be added to the existing four-year high school program
to extend the basic education from ten years to 12 years. Aside from two years in high school,
one year of kindergarten has now become part of basic education.
The K to 12 basic education curriculums will prepare students with life skills that they earn
while schooling. The curriculum will enable students to acquire Certificates of Competency
(COCs) and National Certifications (NCs) issued by the Technical Skills Development Authority
(TESDA). These NCs signify that K to 12 graduates have acquired middle level skills and will have
better opportunities for gainful employment. The additional years will also ensure that K to 12
graduates are better prepared for college.
The meaning of K to 12
K to 12 means Kindergarten and the 12 years of elementary and secondary education.
Kindergarten refers to the five-year old cohort that takes a standardized kindergarten
curriculum. Elementary education refers to primary schooling that involves six years of
education (Grades 1 to 6). Secondary education refers to four years of junior high school
(Grades 7 to 10) and two years of senior high school (Grades 11 to 12).
Vision of K to 12
The K to 12 Basic Education Program aims to produce Filipino graduates who are holistically-
developed with 21st century skills prepared for higher education, middle-level skills
development, employment, and entrepreneurship. Having quality education as a long-term
solution to underemployment, malnutrition, and poverty and is line with the agenda of the
Aquino administration.
Filipino graduates are envisioned to:
• Possess sufficient mastery of basic competencies (e.g., literacy, numeracy, problem
solving, etc) to develop themselves to the fullest;
• Be emotionally developed and competent to live a meaningful life;
• Be socially aware, pro-active, and involved in public and civic affairs and contribute to the
development of a progressive, just and humane society;
• Be adequately prepared for the world of work or entrepreneurship or higher education;
• Be legally employable; and
• Be globally competitive.
In addition, they are characterized as graduates who:
• Possess healthy mind and body
• Have a solid moral and spiritual grounding
• Appreciate and care for humanity, the world, and environment
• Are proud to be a Filipino
The K to 12 Graduates
The New Learning Goals:
The K to 12 Curriculum is focused on the learner’s acquisition of the 21st century skills as
follows:
1. Learning and Innovation skills
1.1 Creativity and curiosity
1.2 Critical thinking, problem solving, and risk-taking
1.3 Adaptability, managing complexity and self-direction
1.4 Higher-order thinking and sound reasoning
2. Information, media, and technology skills
2.1 Visual and information literacies
2.2 Media literacy
2.3 Basic, scientific, economic, and technological literacies
2.4 Multicultural literacy and global awareness
3. Effective Communication Skills
3.1 Teaming, collaboration and interpersonal skills
3.2 Personal, social, and civic responsibility
3.3 Interactive communication
4. Life and Career Skills
4.1 Flexibility and adaptability
4.2 Initiative and self-direction
4.3 Social and cross-cultural skills
4.4 Productivity and accountability
4.5 Leadership and responsibility
The desired outcomes of the K to 12 program are defined in expectancies which are in the form
of content and performance standards that are specified in the curriculum of each learning
area:
• Content standards are what the students should know (facts and information), what they
do (process or skills), and what understanding they construct as they process the
information. The students are expected not only to understand but also to demonstrate
what they learn, thus providing evidence of learning.
• Performance standards are what students do or how they use their learning and
understanding. The students are expected to produce products and/or performances to
prove that they can apply what they learn in real-life situations.
The Learning Areas
The learning areas of the K to 12 curriculum cut across the grade levels from Grade 1 to Grade
12. The learning areas are:
• Languages: Mother Tongue, Filipino, and English
• Arts and Humanities: Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health (MAPEH), Edukasyon sa
Pagpapahalaga, Araling Panlipunan
• Science and Mathematics
• Technology and Livelihood Education
There are changes in the nomenclature of some subjects. Edukasyong Pagpapahalaga for
the secondary and Edukasyong Pagkakatao for the elementary are now renamed Edukasyon
sa Pagpapakatao. Science and Health is now called Science. Health is included in the
MAPEH. Moreover, subjects that are integrated under MAKABAYAN (Araling Panlipunan,
Values Education, MAPEH and TLE) are now separate subjects.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT K-12 PROGRAM
What is the K to 12 Program?
The K to 12 Program covers 13 years of basic education with the following key stages:
Kindergarten to Grade 3
Grades 4 to 6
Grades 7 to 10 (Junior High School)
Grades 11 and 12 (Senior High School)
Why are we now implementing 12 years of basic education?
The Philippines is the last country in Asia and one of only three countries worldwide with a 10-
year pre-university cycle (Angola and Djibouti are the other two).
A 12-year program is found to be the best period for learning under basic education. It is also
the recognized standard for students and professionals globally.
What has been done to get ready for K to 12? Are we really ready for K to 12?
SY 2011-2012: Universal Kindergarten implementation begins
SY 2012-2013: Enhanced curriculum for Grades 1-7 implemented
2013: K to 12 enacted into Law
2014: Curriculum for Grades 11-12 finished
This 2015, we are getting ready for the implementation of Senior High School (SHS) in SY 2016-
2017.
We are on the fifth year of the implementation of the K to 12 Program. Our last mile is the
Senior High School. All 221 divisions of the Department of Education (DepEd) have finished
planning and have figures on enrolment a year in advance. These plans were reviewed by a
separate team and finalized upon consultation with other stakeholders.
Classrooms: DepEd has built 66,813 classrooms from 2010 to 2013. There are 33,608
classrooms completed and undergoing construction in 2014. As of DepEd is planning to
establish 5,899 Senior High Schools nationwide. As of April 30, 2015, DepEd has issued
provisional permits to 1,866 private schools set to offer Senior High School in 2016.
Teachers: From 2010-2014, DepEd has filled 128,105 new teacher items. DepEd is targeting two
kinds of teachers: those who will teach the core subjects, and those who will teach the
specialized subjects per track. DepEd will hire 37,000 teachers for Senior High School for 2016
alone.
Textbooks: Learning materials are being produced for elementary to junior high while
textbooks for Senior High School (which has specialized subjects) are being bid out.
Curriculum: The K to 12 curriculum is standards- and competence-based. It is inclusive and built
around the needs of the learners and the community. The curriculum is done and is available on
the DepEd website. It is the first time in history that the entire curriculum is digitized and made
accessible to the public.
Private SHS: There are 2,199 private schools cleared to offer Senior High School and over
200 more being processed
How can I help improve basic education?
Private partners can donate through the Adopt-A-School program. A 150% tax incentive will be
provided for every contribution.
Help spread awareness and information on the K to 12 Program.
I am a graduate of a science/math/engineering/course. Can I apply as an SHS teacher?
Yes. If you are willing to teach on a part-time basis, you will not be required to take and pass
the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET).
If you want a permanent position, you will need to take and pass the LET within five (5) years
after your date of hiring to remain employed full-time.
