Concerns Rise Over K to 12 Program Effectiveness
A House leader has expressed doubts about the success of the K to 12 program, now approaching 13 years of implementation. Despite promises that its graduates would be job-ready, many still struggle to meet employment standards.
Pasig’s lone district representative and chair of the House education committee pointed out that industries often find K to 12 graduates “not job ready for quality work.” He added that companies tend to “prefer a college graduate,” which leaves Senior High School (SHS) graduates at a disadvantage when applying for jobs.
Certification Levels and Industry Expectations
The representative also highlighted concerns about the Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) track graduates receiving only National Certificate Level 2 (NC2). He explained, “NC2 means you have skills, but ‘di ka pa pwedeng mag-isa. Kailangan may guidance pa sayo (But you cannot still work on your own. You still need guidance).” This statement came during a House hearing on the Department of Education’s (DepEd) plan to implement the Strengthened Senior High School (SHS) Program for the 2025–2026 school year.
He noted that the certification level for TVL graduates matches that given to students completing Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) courses. However, there’s a stark contrast in the training duration: learners under DepEd’s K to 12 program study for two years, while TESDA students require only three to twelve months to earn the same NC2 certification.
“Meron silang similar courses that they give in their own schools or in community TESDA schools, na nakakabigay sila ng NC2 for three months, six months or one year of training,” he pointed out.
“Eh bakit sa DepEd, kailangan ng two years, tapos NC2 lang? (But for DepEd, it takes two years to study, and yet it can only issue NC2)” he questioned.
Challenges in College Readiness and Course Access
Further concerns were raised about the preparedness of SHS graduates for college. According to the representative, some colleges and universities assess which strand or track a student took before accepting them.
He said, “Merong mga colleges and universities that would take a look… ano yung strand o track na kinuha mo (There are colleges and universities that would take a look at which strand or track you took).”
If students did not choose the appropriate strand, they might face additional bridging programs or, in some cases, might be denied entry to their desired courses. “Kung hindi ka kumuha ng tamang strand, o tamang track, may bridging program, o magdagdag sila. Or worse, hindi ka nila papayagan doon sa course na ‘yun,” he added.
The representative summarized the situation by stating that the government effectively adds two more years to students’ education only to limit their college course options.
For more news and updates on K to 12 program effectiveness, visit Filipinokami.com.