EDUCATION SYSTEM | K-12 program must reflect needs of industries to equip graduates, says group

February 1, 2023 , 12:04 PM

By Beatrice Puente

(February 1, 2023) – Basic education in the Philippines must be equipped to teach the primary competencies among children before reaching senior high school, a non-government organization said on Tuesday, lamenting the insufficient skills of students after graduation.

Diane Valencia, the deputy executive director of the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd), said the last two years of the K-12 program must be aimed at sharpening the skills of students related to their chosen tracks.

“We should make sure that, in the early years, they know how to read, they know how to enumerate, etc. At the same time, our teachers (must be) supported to teach them critical thinking because it’s too late if we teach them at Grades 11 and 12,” said Valencia on One News’ The Chiefs.

On Monday, Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, who also heads the Department of Education, vowed to revise the K-12 curriculum because she believes that it is too “congested.” With the revision, she added that they aim “to produce competent, job-ready, active, and responsible citizens.”

President Bongbong Marcos Jr., the running mate of Duterte-Carpio in last year’s elections, ordered the review of the K-12 program last June.

“We will revise the K to 12 curriculum to make them more responsive to our aspiration as a nation, to develop lifelong learners who are imbued with 21st-century skills, discipline, and patriotism,” said Duterte-Carpio in presenting the Basic Education Report 2023.

Valencia agreed that the K-12 curriculum must be updated to reflect the specific needs of industries. Unless this is achieved, she stressed that many graduates would still be unable to secure employment.

“Ang daming nagpupunta ng academic track to go to college, but the needs of the industry are skills. At the same time, for (Grades) 11 and 12, we should make sure that the laboratories and the proper equipment and trainers are there,” explained Valencia.

In 2018, PBEd had a study showing that students theoretically developed 93% of the competencies required in industries. However, only a small portion of the leading companies wanted to hire them.

Another study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies in 2020 noted that the majority or about 70% of students proceeded to tertiary education after finishing senior high school. Roughly 20% went to work.

Duterte-Carpio previously urged employers to hire graduates of the K-12 program. But presidential adviser on entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion said the government cannot force the private sector to do so unless the applicants are highly qualified.

Valencia noted that soft skills must not be overlooked in developing students from elementary to high school.

“Professionalism, teamwork, basic communication skills—’yun ang mga hinahanap ng employers na hindi na nila makita ngayon sa graduates. So, I hope during our learners’ younger years, masimulan nang maturo sa kanila ‘yun,” said Valencia.

(PM)

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