The document discusses a petition filed to suspend the implementation of the K to 12 program in the Philippines. It notes concerns that the transition could leave many teachers and staff without jobs. However, the education secretary believes the problems can be addressed by hiring additional teachers and opening senior high school programs in private colleges. The author argues that the K to 12 program should not be suspended since the government has already invested significant resources in its implementation over five years and is working to solve issues around teacher shortages and job losses. Suspending the program now would be wasting those efforts.

1. Should K to 12 be Suspended?
By: Mylene Joy L. Molina
Padernal Elementary School
Just this March, a coalition of teachers, non-teaching staff, parents, and labor groups filed
a petition for the suspension of the K to 12 program before its implementation next school year.
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV also showed strong support to this movement as he calls on everyone
to join the Suspend K to 12 Now assembly at LiwasangBonifacio on May 9, 2015.
The group that filed for the suspension of Aquino’s education program argued that
Republic Act 10533 that gave birth to K to 12, failed to give labor protection to teachers and
non-teaching staff. An estimated 50,000 teachers and 20,000 non-teaching personnel are at risk
of losing their jobs brought about by the transition period that will lessen the number of those
who will enroll in college due to the addition of two years in high school.
But Education Secretary Armin Luistro is confident that that the Department of
Education is doing its best to address the problems of those who will be affected by the program.
He stressed further that DepEd is very ready for the full implementation of the program and that
the Supreme Court will be on their side.Luistro said that the case is under control because DepEd
is set to hire 30,000 to 41,000 high school teachers for 2016 and 2017 and priority will be given
to the displaced employees. Also, many private colleges have asked for permit to open senior
high school program that will take in affected teachers thereby decreasing the number of affected
staff.
As a member of the DepEd family, I am of the opinion that the K to 12 program should
not be suspended. Let us give it a chance. The call for suspension is rather too late. That buzzer
should have been rung long before the K to 12 program even started. Now is not the time for
debate and blame game.Let us not put to waste the five years of implementation of the said
program. Haven’t we felt the effort of the government in catering to the issues and concerns
brought about by the K to 12 such as the shortage of classrooms, lack of teachers, and production
of materials? Every year, batches of teachers have been required to attend massive training of the
K to 12 procedures. Parents have been oriented to this new trend. Students have been taught
using the K to 12 curriculum. We have come far. Must we throw all these to trash? It’s like
taking away a candy from a kid when he has already enjoyed it.
President Benigno S. Aquino III and the rest of his team, I believe, did not think of
coming up to this program for nothing. They wouldn’t fight against the world to shift the
traditional, usual, and normal education program to fit global standards with no reasons. They
were of course armed to the teeth with researches, proposals, and plans to satisfy our inquiries
and worries.DepEd has been working hand-in-hand and head-to-head with both public and
private institutions in search for solutions leaving no stones unturned just to assure the public
that the program is pushing through.
Just like any change, getting started is the most challenging. Let’s give K to 12 a chance,
shall we? Let’s stick together to this K to 12 programotherwise we’d be likened to that of a
rolling stone which gathers no moss.