THE K-12 program had failed to deliver its promise of equipping Filipino students with the proper knowledge and skills for employment, but only became an additional economic burden to parents, according to no less than President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
President Marcos Jr made the statement after he was asked during his BBM Podcast as to his opinion over the frustration of lawmakers like Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, who is looking to scrap the mandatory Senior High School system under the K-12 program.
However, the President said it is up to Congress to act if they will repeal or amend the K-12 law entirely.
“It is just expressing the same frustration that I expressed in the first place. It’s costing more for the parents, kasi nadagdagan ng 2 years pa. Magmamatrikulasyon pa yan, maraming school supplies, bibili ng libro lahat. Sa 10 years wala naman advantage,” Marcos said.
“Wala naman naging advantage, hindi rin nakukuha sa trabaho. That’s his frustration and that’s also my frustration. So we’ll see what the Congress will do,” he added.
For now, President Marcos Jr. said that for now, they are working closely with the private sector to help improve the current education system under the K-12 program and address the problem of skills mismatch.
“But while the law is still K-12, basta ang sinabi ko kay Sec. Sonny Angara, pagandahin natin nang husto habang nandyan pa yan. Kasi ano ang madalas nating marinig, mismatch. Yung skills ko hindi employable. Maging akong mag-ganito, pero hindi naman nila kailangan ng ganyang klase,” he said.
“We have partnered with the private sector and to ask them, ano ba ang kailangan nyong skills? Ano ba ang kailangan ninyong skills? Ano ba ang kailangan ninyong klaseng trabahador para ma-employ doon sa inyo. In fairness, the private sector went even one step further. Gusto nyo kami na magpatakbo ng training. Tapos paglabas niya sa training, may trabaho siya sa amin. Kasi eksakto ang training niya sa kailangan namin. Yan ang aming ginagawa,” he added.
Marcos Jr. also touched on the issue of classroom shortages.
“We have entered into a program to rebuild and build more school buildings, ginawa na naming PPP. Ang gobyerno lang ang gagawa, kakaunti lang ang magagawa natin. But again, in fairness to the private sector, very cooperative sila. Naglalabas sila ng pera, very willing sila na tumulong,” he said.
“Unang-una, classroom. Isipin mo 160,000 ang kulang natin na classroom. Paano nangyari yon? Basta pinabayaan na lang,” Marcos lamented.
.“May classroom kami nakikita, Marcos time pa. Tinayo noong 1970. Dapat ang classroom na yan 20-30 years lang ang lifetime. Dapat ayusin niyan after. Pero hanggang ngayon ginagamit pa. Pinabayaan talaga ang edukasyon. That’s what happened. There was no effort to help education. Kaya ang rating natin sa STEM subject, pababa nang pababa. Halos hindi marunong magbasa” he added.
