NEGROS OCCIDENTAL has produced 12,500 Grade 12 students who completed their Senior High studies for this school year, said Department of Education (DepEd) Negros Occidental acting Schools Division Superintendent Gladys Amelaine Sales.
They are considered as the first or the pioneer batch of learners of K to 12, using the Enhanced Basic Education curriculum, which was enacted into law in 2013 and implemented in the country in 2014.
Sales said these graduates are capable of working already as Technical Education Skills Development Authority (Tesda) will issue a National Certificate (NC) II for those who completed their Technical Vocational studies with specialized training.
They can also pursue a college education, she added.
She said the K to 12 studies has prepared the students to be globally competitive as learners have already earned the basic skills of having a “critical thinking.”
“If they have these skills, they can easily adapt from training and orientations at work. In fact, they are very lucky and fortunate to undergo the K to 12 Program,” she added.
Furthermore, out of the 116 public and private schools in the province, there are 77 which offered Junior and Senior High studies and 24 schools offered Junior High studies.
Sales said: “We see to it that all the clusters in the province provide Junior and Senior High studies.”
“The K to 12 Program was successfully implemented in Negros Occidental. In 2015, the national government through the DepEd has set aside a huge budget for the implementation of K to 12 and was also increased by the present administration. Our government has fully supported the Enhanced Basic Education Program in the country,” she said.
It was learned that the 12-year program was found to be the best period for learning under basic education and a recognized standard for students and professionals globally, she said.
With the successful implementation of the K to 12 program, there will be no more turning back or stopping for this program because this is now the standard in the world, she said.
“We can assure that our students who completed their Senior High studies have level up their learning. Those who will graduate in college who have Senior High studies can be assured to be at par with the world standard on basic education,” she stressed.
She also pointed out that education is not just the role of the educators. It takes the entire community to educate a child.
“The parents, our government, our teachers and even our community have a role to play in educating our citizens,” she said.
She also recognized the support of the local and provincial governments and Department of Public Works and Highways that construct a school building and other learning facilities on K to 12 program.
As to the employment of teachers, they have employed an additional of 1,300 senior high school teachers and 500 for the junior high school.
The K to 12 program has created job opportunities for our teachers, she added.
Their hiring has become competitive because they select the best teachers for junior and senior high schools, she also said. “The applicants are gauged based on rankings, specializations, and localizations.”
She also urged the teachers to embrace the noble job of teaching.
“Teaching is a very challenging job. If you don’t love teaching, you will easily give up. But she believes that teachers are God-appointed, thus we must love our job so we can easily handle challenges that come our way while we do the noble job of teaching,” she said.