President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has directed incoming Education Secretary Sonny Angara to ensure that high school graduates possess the skills necessary for employment. This directive comes as the administration reassesses the effectiveness of the K to 12 program.
Focus on Job Readiness
Angara shared on X (formerly Twitter) that Marcos emphasized the need for Senior High School (SHS) graduates to be job-ready. "The President did not say the main point of K-12 is to make Pinoys employable abroad. But he did instruct me to make sure our Senior HS grads have the credentials and skills to get jobs as government promised a decade ago when we added 2 years to the basic [Education] Curriculum," Angara posted.
Reevaluating the K to 12 Program
Marcos has expressed dissatisfaction with the K to 12 program, noting it hasn't significantly improved the employability of graduates. In a discussion with Angara, he highlighted the potential for short courses to enhance job readiness. "We were examining things like mini-courses, three to six months, or one-year short courses for specialties," Marcos stated during an interview in Sulu.
Legislative Background
Angara is one of the authors of Republic Act 10533, the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, which introduced the K to 12 program. This law restructured education in the Philippines, adding two years to the basic curriculum to better align with international standards and improve employability.
Additional Directives
Beyond enhancing job readiness, Marcos instructed Angara to prioritize the welfare of teachers and ensure that Filipino children are educated about the country's history. "The key to any successful program in the DepEd are the teachers. So I said we have to take care of the teachers, we have to... of course financial, to make sure they can feed their families," Marcos emphasized.
Transition of Leadership
Angara will assume his role as Education Secretary following the resignation of Vice President Sara Duterte, effective July 19.
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