MANILA — Education Secretary Leonor Briones on Wednesday appealed to the public that it would take some time before major changes in the country’s educational system can be fully achieved.
In an interview with reporters, Briones said one of these changes is the introduction of the K to 12 program, which focuses in solving the problems plaguing basic education.
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). It aims to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education.
Prior to the program, the basic education consisted of six years of elementary school and four years of high school.
Briones said the department has to implement the K to 12 program despite oppositions and criticisms from both public and private sectors.
“Lahat yan talaga naghahabol tayo, kung maghintay tayo kung kailan magawa ang isang bagay bago tumuloy sa susunod na problema, maiiwanan talaga tayo ng panahon at demand sa edukasyon (All of that really, we do some catching up, if we are going to wait when one thing can be done before we go onto the next problem, we will be left behind by time and the demands in education),” Briones said.
She said the agency is undergoing several organizational reforms, specifically in the accounting, governance and procurement systems.
Instead of yielding to the propositions of the K to 12 program critics, Briones called on all the stakeholders to change their perceptions and views about the country’s education system.
“We are doing ourselves a disservice if we insist that we are failing in education. We’re doing all that we can to correct whatever [needs to be corrected]. We are not saying we are perfect or your [critics’] statistics is perfect, but we are doing all that we can and that has to be recognized,” Briones said. (PNA)
