The author argues that the K to 12 program should not be suspended for three key reasons: 1) The government has already invested significant resources into the implementation of the K to 12 program over the past five years, including training teachers, developing new curriculum, and informing parents. 2) Suspending the program now would waste these investments and resources. Students have already been learning under the new curriculum for years. 3) The Department of Education is working to address issues around teacher hiring and has a plan to mitigate the impact on affected teachers and staff with new hiring and opportunities at private colleges. The author believes the program deserves a chance before making a decision to suspend it.

1. Should K to 12 be Suspended?
By: Mylene Joy L. Molina
Teacher I
Padernal Elementary School
Malaybalay City Division
DepEd- Philippines
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
Liwasang Bonifacio 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.