Lawmakers have agreed to review the implementation of the K+12 program, considering, among other reasons, the disconnect between employers and new graduates when the latter start looking for jobs.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, said he will meet with his counterpart from the House of Representatives, Pasig lone district Rep. Roman Romulo, to discuss a K+12 review after seeing "two very important aspects" to look at.
One of these is the disconnect between what the employers or industries need and what is being taught in senior high school.
"Senior high school actually graduated with wrong skills, because the industries are not being consulted. So we will actually address that by making sure that the linkage is there," he said in an interview with ANC on Wednesday, Aug. 24.
Another aspect that needs to be addressed is the way that students from kindergarten to grade three learn.
Gatchalian believed there is a need to "strengthen fundamental and foundational skills" in reading, comprehension, and math.
He particularly expressed concern over the "weak" English comprehension of grades one to three, which the government needs to improve because Filipinos have "competent competitive advantage" in English.
"Because when a child can read, it is easy for the child to move to different levels," he added.