DepEd’s K+12 Program: Solution to education problems in the country?

I don’t know if you have heard it already but starting June 2012, all incoming Grade 1 students in the country will be part of the Enhanced K+12 Basic Education Program of the Department of Education (DepEd).

What is the Enhanced K+12 Basic Education Program that I mentioned?

This is what I got from gov.ph‘s web site…

This model involves Kindergarten, six years of elementary education, four years of junior high school (Grades 7 to 10) and two years of senior high school (Grades 11 to 12). The two years of senior high school intend to provide time for students to consolidate acquired academic skills and competencies.

The two years in senior high school… The curriculum will allow specializations in Science and Technology, Music and Arts, Agriculture and Fisheries, Sports, Business and Entrepreneurship.

At some level I understand the point of the DepEd in the additional two years in high school. Some high school graduates tend to enroll in a college course that they are still unsure of. After a year, they will shift to another course and that is a waste of precious time and money. What the DepEd has in mind is for high school students to spend the additional two years thinking and making sure that they know what they really want to take up in college. DepEd is also saying that the two years will be like a course in Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), training students so that for those who cannot afford to go to college, they can begin looking for jobs after.

Now, my beef on this DepEd program…

The program claims that the two years will provide better quality education for all. Does it really guarantee a better quality education? (more…)