This document provides an overview of outcome-based education (OBE). It discusses that OBE is a student-centered approach that focuses on empirically measuring student performance outcomes rather than inputs like resources. While OBE does not specify teaching styles, it generally promotes constructivist methods over direct instruction. Assessment is based on whether students demonstrate required skills and content mastery. Implementation of OBE varies by country and agency, with some adopting it for all students and others facing criticism from parents and teachers.

1. Outcome-based Education
Methods of outcome-based education (OBE) are student-centered
learning methods that focus on empirically measuring student performance (the
"outcome"). OBE contrasts with traditional education, which primarily focuses on
the resources that are available to the student, which are called inputs. While OBE
implementations often incorporate a host of many progressive pedagogical models
and ideas, such as reform mathematics, block scheduling, project-based
learning andwhole language reading, OBE in itself does not specify or
require any particular style of teaching or learning. Instead, it requires the
students to demonstrate the skills and course content that they are required to
learn. However in practice, OBE generally promotes curricula and assessment based
on constructivist methods and discourages traditional educationapproaches based
on direct instruction of facts and standard methods.
Each independent education agency specifies its own outcomes and its own
methods of measuring student achievement according to those outcomes. The
results of these measurements can be used for different purposes. For example,
one agency may use the information to determine how well the overall education
system is performing, and another may use its assessments to determine whether
an individual student has learned required material.
Outcome-based methods have been adopted for large numbers of students
in several countries. In the United States, theTexas Assessment of Academic
Skills started in 1991. In Australia, implementation of OBE in Western
Australia was widely criticised by parents and teachers and was mostly dropped in
January 2007. In South Africa, OBE was dropped in mid-2010. On a smaller scale,
some OBE practices, such as not passing a student who does not know the required
material, have been used by individual teachers around the world for centuries.
OBE was a popular term in the United States during the 1980s and early
1990s. It is also called mastery education,performance-based education, and
other names.

2. The key features which may be used to judge if a system has implemented an
outcomes-based education systems are:
 Creation of a curriculum framework that outlines specific, measurable
outcomes. The standards included in the frameworks are usually chosen through
the area's normal political process.
 A commitment not only to provide an opportunity of education, but to require
learning outcomes for advancement. Promotion to the next grade, a diploma, or
other reward is granted upon achievement of the standards, while extra
classes, repeating the year, or other consequences entail upon those who do not
meet the standards.
 Standards-based assessments that determines whether students have achieved
the stated standard. Assessments may take any form, so long as the
assessments actually measure whether the student knows the required
information or can perform the required task.
 A commitment that all students of all groups will ultimately reach the same
minimum standards. Schools may not "give up" on unsuccessful students.
Difference with traditional education methods
In a traditional education system and economy, students are given grades
and rankings compared to each other. Content and performance expectations are
based primarily on what was taught in the past to students of a given age. The
basic goal of traditional education was to present the knowledge and skills of the
old generation to the new generation of students, and to provide students with an
environment in which to learn, with little attention (beyond the classroom teacher)
to whether or not any student ever learns any of the material. It was enough that
the school presented an opportunity to learn. Actual achievement was neither
measured nor required by the school system.

3. In fact, under the traditional model, student performance is expected to
show a wide range of abilities. The failure of some students is accepted as a
natural and unavoidable circumstance. The highest-performing students are given
the highest grades and test scores, and the lowest performing students are given
low grades. (Local laws and traditions determine whether the lowest performing
students were socially promoted or made to repeat the year.) Schools used norm-
referenced tests, such as inexpensive, multiple-choice computer-scored questions
with single correct answers, to quickly rank students on ability. These tests do not
give criterion-based judgments as to whether students have met a single standard
of what every student is expected to know and do: they merely rank the students
in comparison with each other. In this system, grade-level expectations are
defined as the performance of the median student, a level at which half the
students score better and half the students score worse. By this definition, in a
normal population, half of students are expected to perform above grade level and
half the students below grade level, no matter how much or how little the students
have learned.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outcome-based_education
WHAT IS THE K TO 12 PROGRAM?
The K to 12 Program covers Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (six
years of primary education, four years of Junior High School, and two years
of Senior High School [SHS]) to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts
and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education,
middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship.

4. SALIENT FEATURES
Every Filipino child now has access to early childhood education through
Universal Kindergarten. At 5 years old, children start schooling and are given the
means to slowly adjust to formal education.
Research shows that children who underwent Kindergarten have better completion
rates than those who did not. Children who complete a standards-based
Kindergarten program are better prepared, for primary education.
Education for children in the early years lays the foundation for lifelong learning
and for the total development of a child. The early years of a human being, from 0
to 6 years, are the most critical period when the brain grows to at least 60-70
percent of adult size..
[Ref: K to 12 Toolkit]
In Kindergarten, students learn the alphabet, numbers, shapes, and colors through
games, songs, and dances, in their Mother Tongue.

5. Examples, activities, songs, poems,
stories, and illustrations are based on local culture, history, and reality. This makes
the lessons relevant to the learners and easy to understand.
Students acquire in-depth knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes through
continuity and consistency across all levels and subjects.
Discussions on issues such as Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Climate Change
Adaptation, and Information & Communication Technology (ICT) are included in the
enhanced curriculum.

6. Students are able to learn best
through their first language, their Mother Tongue (MT). Twelve (12) MT languages
have been introduced for SY 2012-2013: Bahasa Sug, Bikol, Cebuano, Chabacano,
Hiligaynon, Iloko, Kapampangan, Maguindanaoan, Meranao, Pangasinense, Tagalog,
and Waray. Other local languages will be added in succeeding school years.
Aside from the Mother Tongue, English and Filipino are taught as subjects starting
Grade 1, with a focus on oral fluency. From Grades 4 to 6, English and Filipino are
gradually introduced as languages of instruction. Both will become primary
languages of instruction in Junior High School (JHS) and Senior High School
(SHS).
After Grade 1, every student can read in his or her Mother Tongue. Learning in
Mother Tongue also serves as the foundation for students to learn Filipino and
English easily.

7. Subjects are taught from the simplest concepts to more complicated
concepts through grade levels in spiral progression. As early as elementary,
students gain knowledge in areas such as Biology, Geometry, Earth Science,
Chemistry, and Algebra. This ensures a mastery of knowledge and skills after each
level.
For example, currently in High School, Biology is taught in 2nd Year,
Chemistry in 3rd Year, and Physics in 4th Year. In K to 12, these subjects are
connected and integrated from Grades 7 to 10. This same method is used in other
Learning Areas like Math.
Senior High School is two years of specialized upper secondary education;
students may choose a specialization based on aptitude, interests, and school
capacity. The choice of career track will define the content of the subjects a
student will take in Grades 11 and 12. SHS subjects fall under either the Core
Curriculum or specific Tracks.
CORE CURRICULUM
There are seven Learning Areas under the Core Curriculum. These are
Languages, Literature, Communication, Mathematics, Philosophy, Natural Sciences,
and Social Sciences. Current content from some General Education subjects are
embedded in the SHS curriculum.

8. IMPLEMENTATION AND TRANSITION MANAGEMENT
IMPLEMENTATION
Program implementation in public schools is being done in phases starting SY
2012–2013. Grade 1 entrants in SY 2012–2013 are the first batch to fully undergo
the program, and current 1st year Junior High School students (or Grade 7) are
the first to undergo the enhanced secondary education program. To facilitate the
transition from the existing 10-year basic education to 12 years, DepEd is also
implementing the SHS and SHS Modeling.
TRANSITION FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS

9. Private schools craft their transition plans based on: (1) current/previous
entry ages for Grade 1 and final year of Kinder, (2) duration of program , and most
importantly, (3) content of curriculum offered.
http://www.gov.ph/k-12/
Subjects taught in K-12
The K-12 entails the addition of Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health
(MAPEH) subject in grades 1, 2 and 3 as well as Edukasyong Pagkakatao
(Edukasyong Pagpapahalaga in the old curriculum).
The program will reduce the minutes of teaching in Science from 360
minutes per week to 240 minutes, Mathematics, English, Technology and Livelihood
Education (TLE), MAPEH and Filipino, from 300 minutes a week to 240 minutes,
Araling Panlipunan to 180 minutes a week and Edukasyong Pagkatao to 120 minutes a
week.
This school year, mother-tongue based medium of instruction from
kindergarten to grade 3 will also be revived.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/209029/new-class-subjects-challenges-in-k-12
RBEC vs. K-12 (comparison and contrast)
Basic Education Curriculum (BEC) 2002
BEC is restructuring of the NESC (1983) and the NSEC (1989) in
order to raise the quality of the Filipino learners and graduates
and empower them for lifelong learning.
2010 Secondary Education Curriculum
The 2010 Secondary Education Curriculum (SEC) is the revised
2002 BEC incorporating Understanding by Design (UbD) which
seeks to contribute to functional literacy for all and the
development of 21st Century core skills needed for global
competitiveness.

10. K to 12 Curriculum 2012
The K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum is geared towards the
development of holistically developed Filipino with 21st century
skills who is ready for employment, entrepreneurship, middle level
skills development and higher education upon graduation.
http://www.cfo-
pso.org.ph/pdf/11thconferencepresentation/day2/dir_jocelyn_dr_andaya-
K_to_12_basic_education_program.pdf