ALIGNING WITH INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL NORMS
SHEILA M.NAVARRO
Our country’s education system is something we can be proud of – each child is supposed to have an equal right to free education through public schools. As the Department’s tagline “Education for All”. As a straightforward solution to the growing number of drop-outs and non-reader even in public schools and the scarcity of opportunities for graduates, even more for non-graduates,we change our education system to the global K to 12 program to Matatag K to 12 program. We have to enlighten ourselves first, from K to 12 program, what is Matatag K to 12? According to the Department of Education’s official gazette, Matatag” is a revised basic education curriculum under the K-12 program that covers kindergarten up to Grade 10. It aims to “produce competent, job-ready, active, responsible and patriotic citizens.” Basically, the act of imparting knowledge is made easier through Matag K to 12 because we are now directed to decongest the curriculum by 70%. It focuses on the foundational, literacy, numeracy skills in their early years of basic education. However, since we are still in transition stage, not many sources and resources are readily available at our perusal. In the years to come, more modules in different learning areas will definitely be added to our list. Nurturing students holistically as they go through Kindergarten through Grade 12, they will be more than equipped with skills in information, media, and technology; learning and innovation; effective communication; and life and career. As a teacher, I strongly believe that the government and the Department of Education have made the right decision of adopting our system with the global standards and considering the needs of the learners. Fortunately, it isn’t too late – nothing’s too late at all when it comes to wanting change.
-oOoThe author is Teacher II at Northville Elementary School