By Ben Rosario
Statistics indicating increasing dropout rates in elementary and secondary education have started to worry lawmakers about the impact of the K to12 program on the country’s education system.
(Ali Vicoy|Manila Bulletin)
Seven members of the Makabayan bloc said there are strong indications that the K to 12 program has failed to improve the state of education in the country.
They batted for the conduct of a congressional inquiry in aid of legislation on the status of the implemention of the K to 12 program that was implemented during the previous government administration.
“This overhaul of the country’s basic educaiton system brought with it a myriad of issues, as reported from the field by teachers and other school personnel, parents and students, “ Makabayan congressmen said.
Composed of Representatives Antonio Tinio and France Castro of ACT That among Teachers Partylist; Carlos Isagani Zarate (Bayan Muna); Emmi de Jesus and Arlene Brosas (Gabriela Partylist); Ariel Casilao (Anakpawis) and Sarah Jane Elago (Kabataan Partytlist), the Makabayan bloc appeared to be convinced that the country is not ready for a full-blast implementation of K to 12.
“The Makabayan bloc noted that issues triggered by the K to 12 program include “persisting shortages in school and classrooms, particularly senior high school; lack of textbook, learning facilities and other needs of students.
They lamented that students and teachers are forced to shoulder the expenses for such problems.
Making matters worse is the fact that dropout rates in elementary and high school have steadily climbed up since the K to 12 was implemented in 2013, during the term of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.
Data furnished by the Department of Education indicated an 11-percent increase in dropouts in a span of five years.
The increase of students from elementary education tripled from 431,000 in 2011 to 1.4 million in 2016.
Casualties remain high in high school at 3.4 million, DepEd said.
“High school CR (completion rate) decline with 1.9 million or more than a fourth of enrollees dropping out in the middle of the year,” Makabayan lawmakers said..
They added: “Elementary CR remain high with about 2.3 million leaving before graduation.”
“Whereas, all these suggest that far from improving the access of Filipino children to basic educaiton and prompting the right of teachers and other education workers the K to 12 Program has done quite the opposite,” the opposition congressmen stated.