K-12 CURRICULUM

The K to 12 Program covers Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (six years of primary education, four years of Junior High School, and two years of Senior High School SHS) to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship.

The K-12 Basic Education Program aims to provide every Filipino child with the education s/he needs to compete in a global context.

In May, President Benigno Aquino of the Philippines signed into law a basic education curriculum that will see a mandatory kindergarten year and two additional senior high school years added to what was a 10-year education curriculum to make basic education 12 years. The program has been adopted not only in schools in the Philippines, but also in Filipino schools abroad that follow the department’s curriculum.

The goal of the new curriculum is to give Filipino students enough time to master skills and concepts so that they are ready for tertiary education when the time comes.

SENIOR HIGH (GRADES 11-12)

Senior High School is two years of specialized upper secondary education; students may choose a specialization based on aptitude, interests, and school capacity. The choice of career track will define the content of the subjects a student will take in Grades 11 and 12. Each student in Senior High School can choose among three tracks: Academic; Technical-Vocational-Livelihood; and Sports and Arts. The Academic track includes three strands: Business, Accountancy, Management (BAM); Humanities, Education, Social Sciences (HESS); and Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM).

CORE CURRICULUM SUBJECTS

There are seven Learning Areas under the Core Curriculum: Languages, Literature, Communication, Mathematics, Philosophy, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences.

• Oral communication
• Reading and writing
• Komunikasyon at pananaliksik sa wika at kulturang Filipino
• 21st century literature from the Philippines and the world
• Contemporary Philippine arts from the regions
• Media and information literacy
• General mathematics
• Statistics and probability
• Earth and life science
• Physical science
• Introduction to philosophy of the human person/Pambungad sa pilosopiya ng tao
• Physical education and health
• Personal development/pansariling kaunlaran
• Earth science (instead of Earth and life science for those in the STEM strand)
• Disaster readiness and risk reduction (taken instead of Physical science for those in the STEM strand)

APPLIED TRACK SUBJECTS

• English for academic and professional purposes
• Practical research 1
• Practical research 2
• Filipino sa piling larangan
  • Akademik
  • Isports
  • Sining
  • Tech-voc
• Empowerment technologies (for the strand)
• Entrepreneurship
• Inquiries, investigatories, and immersion

SPECIALIZED SUBJECTS

• Accountancy, business, and and management strand
• Humanities and social sciences strand
• Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics strand
• General academic strand

SHS

What does K-12 scheme really has to offer to students?

To prove that K-12 system is more than just adding two more years to high school, below are three of the many practical benefits of schooling under a 13-year education cycle:

Preparedness for tertiary learning – With adaptation of K-12 scheme, students are expected to graduate at age a bit older than past graduates’. This is an advantage, according to DepEd, as graduates will be considered young adults. Hence, they will be more equipped to deal with much higher level of learning as they enter college education.

Readiness to join the workforce – Unlike the old system, K-12 does not compel each student to take college after completing Senior High School (SHS). In fact, this scheme empowers students to make a choice on their own. They may not pursue college education especially if they have chosen a track other than academic track. The good thing is SHS graduates will be equipped with skills (through electives) that will make them good at certain field(s).

Skill competency in the global job market – K-12 system aims to improve Filipino students’ mathematical, scientific, and linguistic competence. With the new curriculum, DepEd promised to offer higher quality education through tracks. Each track will give students enough time to master a field and enhance their skills. In the end, K-12 graduates will become globally competitive and are set to obtain spot in the stiff labor market.

The government believes that K to 12 curriculum in the Philippines will put Filipino students at par with the rest of the world. Truly, investing in education is the key toward reaching national growth and development.

The HUMMS strand is designed for those who wonder what is on the other side of the wall. In other words, you are ready to take on the world and talk to a lot of people. This is for those who are considering taking up journalism, communication arts, liberal arts, education, and other social science-related courses in college.
If you take this strand, you could be looking forward to becoming a teacher, a psychologist, a lawyer, a writer, a social worker, or a reporter someday. This strand focuses on improving your communication skills.