It's a new school year ( 2011-2012) and what makes it a very controversial one is the start of the Aquino administration's basic education program ( K-12 ). Some organizations are up against it for obvious reasons. The government is NOT ready. It is ill-prepared. I can imagine and almost hear Sen. Miriam Santiago saying "tarantado" to underscore the hasty implementation of K-12.
Looking back at the past generations, Filipinos lorded it all in Asia especially in English. We have produced College graduates who became highly competent in different fields. Some got recognition in other countries. There is a long list of writers, educators, scientists, artists, film makers, doctors and health practitioners who made this country proud ...all because of the education they got in our country.
There were only a few subjects but enough hours to master them. There were good books ( well-edited and researched). Nowadays, every time there is a new administration, DepEd comes up with a new set of books which are flawed ( well, not all, though). I was once sent to be an evaluator of textbooks in English about 6 years ago. The 3 textbooks pre-chosen by DepEd assigned to me for assessment did not pass my standards. I marked them not fit for publication and distribution. Do you still remember the flak DepEd got for allowing the distribution of a Social Studies textbook that contained a lot of errors? It's like discovering a website with erroneous data.
I heard from the radio that with K-12 , multiple shifts will force some students to attend classes as early as 5:40 a.m. and as late as 7:00 p.m. This is to decongest schools. But, will that ensure good education?
Why does this country allow drastic changes in the curriculum every time there is a new President? To get money from the national budget? isn't that corruption?
