Understanding the K to 12 Educational Reform

Abstract

Republic Act No. 10533, the Enhanced Education Act of 2013, seeks to improve the basic education system of the Philippines by strengthening its curriculum and lengthening the number of years of basic education from ten to twelve years. The new curriculum, popularly known as the K to 12 program, is a landmark reform that brings the basic education of the country on a par with international standards. The history of the reform is revisited and its legal bases, main features, relevant orders, and implications for higher education are discussed. Concerns about its initial implementation are raised and a call for all stakeholders, particularly teachers who are the principal agents of instruction, is made to make the reform work for the benefit of Filipino learners.