College of Education

ED 109 – The Teacher and The School Curriculum

2nd Semester, A.Y 2024-2025, Chapter 5 – Curriculum Development Reforms and

Enhancement – Module 6 Gearing Up for the Future: Curriculum Reforms

Llauderes, Jennyrose A. Fano, Rigelyn F.

Course Facilitator: Dr. Jesusa J. Luda

 College of Education
Lesson 6.1: Reforms for Basic Education Curriculum

Learning Outcomes
 Gain comprehensive understanding of the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum Reform

Introduction
As the educational landscape continues to evolve both locally and globally, curriculum designers
must respond with enhancements and innovations to meet emerging needs. As future educators
and curricularists, it is crucial to stay informed and prepared for these changes. This lesson
provides a comprehensive understanding of curricular reforms in the Philippines and beyond,
equipping you with the knowledge needed to improve the quality of teaching and learning in a
rapidly changing world.

Content Focus
Curriculum designers need to enhance the recommended curriculum and propose curricular
innovations to respond to the changing landscape in education regionally and globally. Are you
aware of some curricular reforms in the Philippines and other countries? Republic Act 10533,
otherwise known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, is the latest educational reform
in Philippine Education signed into law by President Benigno Aquino III last May 15, 2013. It is
an act enhancing the Philippine Basic Education system by strengthening its curriculum and
increasing the number of years for basic education appropriating funds therefore and for other
purposes. The Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 popularly known as K to 12 includes one
(1) year of kindergarten education, six (6) years of elementary education, and six (6) years of
secondary education. This six-year secondary education includes four (4) years of junior high
school and two (2) years of senior high school. With K to 12, the existing 10 years of basic
education is increased to 12 years with Kindergarten education as a prerequisite to entry in Grade
1.
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Why K to 12?
The K to 12 program aligns Philippine education with international standards, producing
graduates ready for higher education, skills development, employment, or entrepreneurship.
Graduates are equipped with 21st-century skills, including technology, innovation,
communication, and life and career skills.
The launch of the K to 12 program in 2012 met with significant public apprehension. Many
Filipinos expressed concerns about the added financial burden of two extra years of secondary
education on families. Critics also argued that the program failed to address fundamental issues
within the education system, such as inadequate classrooms, insufficient learning materials,
teacher shortages, and the quality of teaching. Despite these criticisms, the Department of
Education strongly advocated for the implementation of K to 12.

Let's consider these existing realities in Philippine education that became the bases of the K to 12
implementations:
1. Mastery of basic competencies is insufficient due to congested curriculum
- The national achievement test results in Mathematics and Science for 4th-year high school
students in 2005-2006 were concerning. In Mathematics, only 15% of students demonstrated
mastery, while a significant majority (59.09%) exhibited low mastery levels. The situation was
even more alarming in Science, with only 3% of students achieving mastery and a majority
falling into the low mastery category. These findings highlight a critical need for improvement in
the teaching and learning of these subjects in the Philippine education system.

National Achievement Test - Fourth Year (SY 2004-2006) Source:

[Link]
 College of Education
- The Philippines has consistently performed poorly in international examinations, such as
the TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study). In the 2003 TIMSS,
the country ranked near the bottom in both Grade IV and High School science and math
categories. Despite participation by science high schools in the 2008 Advanced
Mathematics category, the Philippines still ranked last among ten countries.
- One key factor contributing to this poor performance is the congested basic education
curriculum. Unlike other countries that teach the curriculum over 12 years, the
Philippines compressed it into 10 years, leaving insufficient time to master essential
competencies. Adding two more years to basic education could help decongest the
curriculum and enhance mastery of basic skills and 21st-century competencies.
2. The Philippines is the only remaining country in Asia with a 10 - year basic education
program.
 The Philippines previously had a 10-year basic education system, unique in Asia.
 This limited system disadvantaged Filipino professionals and students abroad, as:
o Bologna Accord: Requires 12 years for university admission and professional
practice in Europe.
o Washington Accord: Prescribes 12 years for engineering professional recognition.

 The K to 12 Program aligns the Philippines with global standards, providing Filipino
professionals a competitive edge.
 Calls for extending basic education date back to 1925, with various studies
recommending reforms.
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One frequently asked question raised during the advocacy period for the K to 12 Curriculum was
this: "Filipino students can do in ten (10) years what students in foreign countries do in twelve
(12) years. A number of our Filipino graduates who went through ten years of basic education
excel in studies as well as in their place of work abroad, so why add two years more?" This may
be true. But for as long as the international standard is twelve years of basic education that will
remain to be the standard and will apply to all including brilliant and exceptional Filipino
students and graduates. In fact, there are cases where our Filipino scholars with Master's degrees
who have to enroll in additional Master's subjects before being allowed to pursue their doctorate
degrees applied for. Why the additional Master's subjects? The reason given is the short, ten-year
basic education in the Philippines. In other words, the Philippines has no choice but to comply
with the twelve-year basic education. In the first place, this has been a consistent
recommendation of past surveys done on the Philippine educational system.

One frequently asked question raised during the advocacy period for the K to 12 Curriculum was
this: "Filipino students can do in ten (10) years what students in foreign countries do in twelve
(12) years. A number of our Filipino graduates who went through ten years of basic education
excel in studies as well as in their place of work abroad, so why add two years more?" This may
be true. But for as long as the international standard is twelve years of basic education that will
remain to be the standard and will apply to all including brilliant and exceptional Filipino
students and graduates. In fact, there are cases where our Filipino scholars with Master's degrees
who have to enroll in additional Master's subjects before being allowed to pursue their doctorate
degrees applied for. Why the additional Master's subjects? The reason given is the short, ten-year
basic education in the Philippines. In other words, the Philippines has no choice but to comply
with the twelve-year basic education. In the first place, this has been a consistent
recommendation of past surveys done on the Philippine educational system.
Employability of Filipino High School Graduates
 The K to 12 Curriculum prepares students for work, skills development,
entrepreneurship, and college education.
 Students explore subjects in Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE): Home
Economics, ICT, Industrial Arts, and Agriculture/Fishery Arts starting from Grade 7.
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 By Grade 10 and 12, students earn National Certificates (NC I and NC II) from TESDA,
making them employable.
 K to 12 ensures that graduates are legally employable at 18, addressing the issue of 15-
year-old graduates who were previously ineligible for work.

The K to 12 Curriculum
 Learner-Centered & Inclusive: Focuses on the needs of the learner.
 Relevant & Research-Based: Responsive to current educational trends.
 Culture-Sensitive: Acknowledges cultural diversity.
 Contextualized & Global: Balances local and global perspectives.
 Constructivist Approach: Uses inquiry-based, reflective, and collaborative methods.
 Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE): Builds on learners'
existing knowledge.
 Spiral Progression: Ensures mastery of concepts at each level.
 Flexible: Allows schools to localize and enhance content based on their context.

Core Curriculum
Senior High School Curriculum
 Tracks Offered:
a. Academic Track
 Strands: STEM, HUMSS, ABM, GAS
 For College-bound Students: Choose a strand based on intended college
program.
b. TechVoc Track: Focus on TESDA courses.
c. Arts and Design Track: For students pursuing creative fields.
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d. Sports Track: For sports-minded students.
 Curriculum Structure:
o Total Subjects: 31

 15 Core Subjects
 7 Contextualized/Applied Subjects
 9 Specialization Subjects
Based on DepEd Memo 13 s. 2013