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Students read in the library of the Valenzuela City Academic Center for Excellence in Valenzuela City on Feb. 6, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

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Students

Pia Gutierrez

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/172016009984320240206-valenzuela-academic-center-18.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><span id="isPasted" style="white-space:pre-wrap">Students read in the library of the Valenzuela City Academic Center for Excellence in Valenzuela City on Feb. 6, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)" id="isPasted"></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said Friday he directed incoming Education Secretary Sonny Angara to focus on improving the employability of Filipino students after graduation, as he noted that the K-12 program has not equipped students with the skills needed for work. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Philippine leader said he gave the directive to Angara when they spoke shortly after Malacañang announced the latter&#x27;s appointment as Education Chief earlier this week. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Angara was among the authors of the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 or the K-12 Program, which aims to “broaden the goals of high school education for college preparation, vocational and technical career opportunities as well as creative arts, sports, and entrepreneurial employment.”</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Ginawa natin ‘yung K-12 dahil hinahanap ang years of training sa ating mga nag-apply at sinasabi dito sa Pilipinas kulang dahil 10 years … That was the reason we did it para employable ‘yung mga graduate natin,” Marcos said in a media interview in Jolo, Sulu. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Pero kung titignan natin ang naging resulta, hindi tumaas, hindi gumanda ang employability nila. So we have to do something else,” he continued. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/7/3/new-deped-chief-angara-to-focus-on-back-to-basics-curriculum-teachers-benefits-725">New DepEd chief Angara to focus on ‘back to basics’ curriculum, teachers’ benefits</a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Marcos said he was looking at instituting some changes to the K-12 curriculum, such as the inclusion of short courses that would allow students to have “specializations”. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“We were examining things like mini-courses, 3-6 buwan, 1-year short courses para sa mga specialty,” Marcos said. “But we have to coordinate with the private sector, so the private sector will be able to have a guaranteed supply of skilled workers that will be coming into their own industries.” </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“So tinitiyak namin na paglabas na may magandang pag-asa, magandang magkatrabaho if not directly already to an industry employer,” he said. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Marcos said he also instructed Angara to address the poor performance of Filipino students particularly on STEM or Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, as shown in recent international assessment examinations.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“That&#x27;s where we are falling behind and that is the area that is most in demand right now because we are getting more and more technical,” Marcos said.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/12/06/23/pisa-filipino-learners-still-lagging-in-math-reading-science">No improvement in learning? 2022 PISA results show Filipino learners still lagging behind in math, reading, science</a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">An earlier study by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) showed that Filipino students were among the lowest scorers in reading, math and science.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“We will also simplify the curriculum. We go back to make sure that everybody understands the basics. Because marami pang hindi– nasa grade 5 na, nasa grade 6 na, mahina pang basa, mabagal. At saka yung mga simple na mathematics na exam hindi nila kayang gawin,” the President said. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“We have to go back to basics,” he said.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/19/students-in-ph-have-among-the-lowest-performance-in-creative-thinking-pisa-results-show-2116">Students in PH have among the lowest performance in creative thinking, PISA results show</a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Marcos added that he told Angara to teach Philippine history to Filipino students.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“I have seen my children&#x27;s workbooks and there&#x27;s very little said about the history of the Philippines. And for me that is so important for the simple reason that that is what … Dito kaya ganito kami, kaya ganyan ang ugali namin dahil sa aming kasaysayan.” he said. </span></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/29/23/sws-half-of-filipinos-dissatisfied-with-k-12">SWS: Half of Filipinos dissatisfied with K-12 curriculum</a><br/><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/3/19/lack-of-textbooks-and-untrained-teachers-highlight-ph-education-issues-study-2102">Lack of textbooks, untrained teachers highlight PH education issues, according to study</a></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said Friday he directed incoming Education Secretary Sonny Angara to focus on improving the employability of Filipino students after graduation. </p>

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said Friday he directed incoming Education Secretary Sonny Angara to focus on improving the employability of Filipino students after graduation.

Marcos wants Angara to focus on improving K-12 program

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Marcos wants Angara to focus on improving K-12 program

Pia Gutierrez,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 05, 2024 02:19 PM PHT

Read More:

Marcos

Marcos Jr

Bongbong Marcos

education

K-12

curriculum

Sonny Angara

Deped

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