Senator Antonio Trillanes IV yesterday said he is against the implementation of DepEd’s K + 12 program and believes it should be deferred as there are many problems in the country’s educational system that need to be addressed first.

Before the program should be implemented, Trillanes said, government has to address the problems of lack of classrooms, text books, chairs, teachers and low salaries for teachers.

“Once these problems have been addressed, that is the time we should look into it. If there is still a problem, that is the time we should entertain any changes in the curriculum,” he said.

Trillanes said “Many of us have benefitted from the 10-year educational system and I believe that all of us are able to hold our ground with our contemporaries elsewhere.”

Many Filipinos who have graduated in the country and have worked abroad, excel in other places, he said. “This shows that our educational system is better, if properly implemented,” he added.

The Dep Ed’s K + 12 program, which adds two years to basic education program, begins this school year.

Trillanes said the law was not yet passed and is still in the Committee level. “They are assuming that we are like rubber stamps in the Senate. I intend to stop it. I told the President this is not what the country needs now,” he said.

There is also a need to amend Batas Pambansa 323 which requires four years in high school, he added.

Trillanes said that according to the DepEd, the Philippines is one of the three countries still implementing the 10-year educational system but he believes it is not a justification. “We should only implement what will work for us,” he said.

Education Undersecretary for Programs and Projects Yolanda Quijano said many high school graduates lack the competence required of them.

Trillanes said the DepEd could not even guarantee that the additional two years could improve the quality of education.

“Our problem is job opportunities,” he said. If many of our college graduates could not land jobs how much more a high school graduate? He asked.

The implementation of the program will affect the first year, Trillanes said.

Meanwhile, Trillanes said only the kindergarten was implemented and he is in favor of it because the earlier a child starts education, the better will his mind absorb learning in the future.

However, the problem is that its implementation is passed on to the local government units so it can implement minimum wages since kinder teachers are considered as volunteers.*CGS

back to top