PRESIDENT Aquino said the government is making every effort to ensure the successful implementation of the K to 12 basic education program that will make the country’s future workforce more competitive in the job market.
Aquino said the preparations that the government is doing will benefit not only the students but the teachers and the school employees who will be affected by the K to 12 basic education program. He acknowledged that there will be some teachers and school employees who would lose their jobs with the implementation of the K-12 program.
He said the government is now studying how to address this problem by providing alternative related jobs to those school employees who would be displaced by the K-12 program.
“Hindi lang para sa mga estudyante ang ginagawa nating paghahanda… Pinag-aaralan na po natin ang mga hakbang upang suportahan ang mga guro at empleadong maaaring maapektuhan nito. Ang hangad natin ay makapagbukas ng mga bagong oportunidad para sa kanilang pagtuturo at pag-aaral,” the President said in his speech during the turnover ceremony of two new school buildings to the Tarlac National High School.
Because of the two additional years in the basic education program, there would be almost no enrollees for college in the next two years. The two additional years in high school is considered senior high school.
“Dahil may dagdag na dalawang taon sa basic education, mawawalan rin ng papasok na estudyante para sa kolehiyo ng dalawang taon. Pinag-aaralan rin po natin ang mga hakbang upang suportahan ang mga guro at empleyadong maaaring maapektuhan nito,” Aquino said.
He said that with the two additional years in high school, there would be more teachers needed for senior high school.
“Maaari pong gawing opsyon ng ating mga guro sa kolehiyo ang pagtuturo dito,” Aquino said.
He cited an initiative that supports teachers from state universities and colleges who want to pursue graduate studies, as the education sector transitions to the K to 12 program.
As the government aggressively develops the country’s education sector, the President also called on students to do their share by concentrating on their studies.
“Salubungin ninyo nawa ang mga inilalatag sa inyong oportunidad ng sarili ninyong pagsisikap,” he said.
“Marahil, ilang beses ninyo na itong narinig mula sa inyong mga magulang, pero ito naman ang galing sa Pangulo ng Pilipinas: Mag-aral po kayo sana nang mabuti,” he added.
President Aquino earlier also led the handover of P3 billion from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) for the Department of Education’s “Matuwid na Daan sa Silid-Aralan” program.
The release of the fund brings to P10 billion PAGCOR’s total contribution to the Education Department’s school construction initiative. (Eagle News Service, with a report from PND)
