Senator-elect Loren Legarda today hailed the enactment into law of Republic Act 10533, the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, and stressed that the Philippines' upgrade to a twelve-year basic education (K to 12) will make it at par with the education system and standards of other countries.
Legarda, co author of RA 10533, said that the K to 12 Law brings a multitude of benefits to the Filipino youth.
"I am happy that the K to 12 program is now institutionalized through the law which President Aquino recently signed. This law addresses the problem of poor families who have no means to bring their children to kindergarten. Moreover, the 12-year basic education cycle addresses the need of highschool graduates who opt out of the university system by preparing them for possible technical-vocational education," she explained.
Legarda said that under the law, basic education program will now encompass one year of kindergarten education, six years of elementary education, and six years of secondary education.
The Senator added that another salient feature of the law is the use of regional or native language of learners for kindergarten and the first three years of elementary education, instruction, teaching materials, and assessment, which is important for children to better understand their lessons in the first years of formal school before being introduced to a new language.
"This enhanced system of education will ensure that our children will be prepared to enter school through kindergarten and will be better prepared to choose the path they wish to take after having finished basic education through the additional years in highschool. Furthermore, this system makes them more globally-competitive since they will no longer be forced to master their lessons in a shorter span of time," Legarda said.
President Aquino last May 15 signed the K to 12 Law. “[Sa K-12] tinitiyak nating sapat at kapaki-pakinabang ang kasanayang naibabahagi sa ating mga mag-aaral,” said the President.
DepEd is currently preparing for the full implementation of K to 12 in 2016. In school year 2012-2013, the curriculum for Grades 1 and 7 was rolled out. By June of this year (school year 2013-2014), the curriculum for Grades 2 and 8 will be introduced.
