By Marjorie Gorospe
MANILA, METRO MANILA-- The Philippines is the only remaining country in Asia that is still implementing a 10-year basic education, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).
The department hopes to fully implement a 12-year basic education (K12) program in the country this year.
According to DepEd Undersecretary Tonisito Umali, the K12 program will meet international standards and will be the key for the graduates to have better employment opportunities.
The Philippines is still implementing an old basic education curriculum although schools are now mandated to have Kindergarten as a requirement for students before they can start grade school.
The K12 program also adds two years in high school to the current four-year high school curriculum as well as integrates specialized programs.
Umali reiterated that K 12 program offers a more balanced approach to learning that will enable children to acquire lifelong learning skills.
The official further said the K12 program will help high school graduates to be equipped with work skills that will qualify them for a job or become entrepreneurs.
A high school graduate produced by the proposed K12 program will be 18 years old and therefore legally eligible for employment. As of the moment, 70 percent of the country's unemployed are high school graduates.
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