ENHANCED BASIC EDUCATION ACT OF 2013

This law was signed on the 15 th day of May 2013, and that is Wednesday in the

Malacañang Palace, Manila, Philippines.

What is Republic Act No. 10533 or also known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of

2013?

o It is an act enhancing the Philippine education system by strengthening its

curriculum and increasing the numbers of years for basic education,

appropriating funds therefore and for other purposes.

The Enhanced Basic Education Program

1. Kindergarten Education shall mean one (1) year of preparatory education of at least

five (5) years old as a prerequisite for Grade 1.

2. Elementary Education refers to the second stage of compulsory basic education

which is composed of six (6) years. The entrant stage of this level is typically six

years old.

3. Secondary Education refers to the third stage of compulsory basic education. It

consists of four (4) years of junior high school education and two (2) years of senior

high school education.

The entrant age of the two high school levels are typically twelve (12) and sixteen

(16) years old respectively. For Kindergarten and the first three years of elementary

education, instruction, teaching materials and assessment shall be in the regional and

native language of learners. The Department of Education (DEPED) shall formulate a

mother language transition program from Grade 4 to Grade 6 so that Filipino and

English shall be gradually introduced as languages of instruction until such time that

these two (2) languages can become the primary languages of instruction at the

secondary level.

The enhanced basic education shall include:

1. Programs For the Gifted and Talented

 2. Programs For Learners with Disabilities

3. Madrasah Program

4. Indigenous People Education Program

5. Programs For Leaders Under Difficult Circumstances

These programs ensure to address the welfare and different needs among

learners across the country.

Declaration of Policy

The state shall create a functional basic education system that will develop

productive, responsive and responsible citizens equipped with essential competencies,

skills and values for both life – long learning and employment. In order to achieve this

the state shall:

1. Give every student an opportunity to receive quality education that is globally

competitive based on pedagogically sound curriculum that is at par with

international standards.

2. Broaden the goals of high school education for college preparation, vocational

and technical career opportunities as well as creative arts, sports and

entrepreneurial employment in a rapid changing and increasingly globally

environment.

3. Make education learner – oriented and responsive to the needs, cognitive and

cultural capacity, the circumstances, and the diversity of learners, schools and

communities through the appropriate languages of teaching and learning,

including mother tongue as a learning resource.

Curriculum Development

To achieve an effective enhanced basic education curriculum, the DEPED shall

coordinate with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical

Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), The Department of Labor and

Employment (DOLE), The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), and chambers

of commerce on matters affecting stakeholders. The DEPED shall adhere to the

following standards and principles in developing the enhanced basic education

curriculum:

1. Shall be learner – centered, inclusive and developmentally appropriate

2. Shall be relevant, responsive and research based

3. Shall be culture – sensitive

4. Shall be contextualized and global

5. Shall use pedagogical approaches that are constructivist, inquiry – based,

reflective, collaborative and integrative

6. Shall adhere the principles and framework of Mother Tongue – Based

Multilingual Education (MTB – MLE)

7. Shall use the spiral progression approach

8. Shall be flexible

To harmonize the basic and Tertiary Curricula for global competitiveness for

Filipino Graduates, the enhanced basic education curriculum aims to lessen:

a. Percentage of unready incoming college students

b. Remedial classes

c. Duplication of basic education subjects

These are the core foundation why the K to 12 curriculum was implemented.

Teacher Education Training

To ensure that the enhanced basic education program meets the demand for

quality teachers and school leaders, the DEPED and the CHED, in collaboration with

relevant partners in government, academe, industry, and non-governmental

organization shall conduct teacher education and training programs, as specified:

a. In – Service Training on Content on Pedagogy

- main objective is to improve (more than one) approaches and practices in

dealing with students

 - the program helps teachers to acquire new understanding and

instructional skills to develop their effectiveness in the classroom whether

it is technologically based instruction or otherwise.

b. Training of New Teachers (both important for new and experienced teachers)

- provide quality teaching and student learning

- equip them with the skills to help more children learn effectively

c. Training of School Leadership

- introduces different leadership styles that will help mold the students’

future

DEPED Hiring Guidelines For Teacher I Positions

Effective School Year (Sy) 2015-2016

The issuance of these guidelines aims to integrate and further institutionalize the

primary objective of the K to 12 Basic Education Program, which is to enhance the

overall quality of basic education in the country by hiring highly-competent teachers ,

and to uphold the Department’s mandate under the Magna Carta for Public School

Teachers (Republic Act 4670) to promote and improve public school teachers’

employment and career opportunities as well as to attract more people with proper

qualifications to the teaching profession.

Career Guidance and Counselling Advocacy

To properly guide the students in choosing the career tracks that they intend to

pursue, the DEPED, in coordination with the DOLE, the TESDA and the CHED, shall

regularly conduct career advocacy activities for secondary level students. As early as

possible, teachers should provide guidance on students’ career path by nurturing the

talents, skills and values of the students. It is better to have average intellect with good

attitude and values than be smart and arrogant. Therefore, it is important to mold the

students holistically.
 Expansion of E-GASTPE Beneficiaries

The benefits according to the Republic Act No. 8545, or the “Expanded

Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act”, (which

was amended from Republic Act (RA) 6728 called the GASTPE Act) shall be extended

to qualified students enrolled under the enhanced basic education. E-GASTPE was

further expanded by RA 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 to cover

senior high school.

What are the GASTPE Programs currently provided by DepEd?

 Education Service Contracting (ESC)

 Teachers’ Salary Subsidy (TSS)

 Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS VP)

 In-Service Training (INSET)

 Research

Transitory Provision

The DEPED, the CHED and the TESDA shall formulate the appropriate

strategies and mechanisms needed to ensure smooth transition from the existing ten

(10) years basic education cycle to the enhanced basic education (K to 12) cycle.

Mandatory Evaluation and Review

By the end of the school year 2014 – 2015, the DEPED shall conduct a

mandatory review and submit a midterm report to Congress as to the status of the

implementation of the to 12 programs in terms of closing the following current

shortages:

a. Teachers

b. Classrooms

c. Textbooks

d. Seats

e. Toilets
f. And many others needs
g. Teachers j. Seats

h. Classrooms k. Toilets

i. Textbooks l. Others