Lesson 4.

2: Curriculum Reforms and

Enhancements

Lesson Summary
Two major curriculum reforms in the Philippines are the K to 12
curriculum and the shift to outcomes-based education (OBE). This ensures that
the curricula being offered in our schools are relevant to the contexts of the
learners and the society, in general. As educational disruptions occur
sometimes, curriculum modifications must be made to remain responsive.

Learning Outcomes
1. Discuss the structure and salient features of the K to 12 curriculum, as
well as its reasons for implementation
2. Analyze the premises and principles of outcomes-based education
3. Explain practices and changes in the curriculum to address
educational disruptions (e.g. COVID-19 pandemic)

Motivation Question
Why do you think our educational system implemented the K to 12 curriculum
in place of the Revised Basic Education Curriculum (RBEC) of 2002?

Discussion: Let’s Learn More

As a result of evaluation studies, curricular reforms were implemented
to address the ever-present goal of enhancing the quality of education in our
country. Connectedly, curriculum developers must be well-aware of the various
changes in the national and international contexts so they can help propose
curricular reforms or innovations that are relevant, responsive and effective for
our learners to become successful individuals.

K to 12 Curriculum: A Standards-Based Curriculum

(Bilbao et al., 2020; Corpuz, 2013, SEAMEO-INNOTECH, 2012)

Last 2012, a new curricular reform in the Philippines was launched,
called the K to 12 curriculum, for Grade 1 and Grade 7. This curriculum
replaced the Revised Basic Education Curriculum (RBEC) of 2002, which in turn
substituted the former New Elementary School Curriculum of 1983 and New
Secondary Education Curriculum of 1989. The K to 12 curriculum was formally
signed into law in May 15, 2013 by the former President Benigno Aquino III
through the Republic Act 10533 (Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013).
The new curricular reform is called the K to 12 curriculum because it
includes a compulsory Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (6-year
primary education, 4-year junior high school and 2-year senior high school).
This new reform made our educational system at par with the international
standard of 12-year basic education.

Figure 1. Changes in the national curriculum for basic education in the Philippines. (adapted
from Corpuz, 2013)

The graduates of K to 12 curriculum are envisioned to be holistically

developed Filipinos with 21st century skills (learning and innovation skills, life
and career skills, effective communication skills and information, media and
technology skills). As K to 12 is outcomes-based, it aims to prepare the
graduates in entering any of the following paths: higher education studies
(college), middle-level skills development, employment and entrepreneurship.

Figure 2. Diagram on the K to 12 Graduate Exits. (SEAMEO-INNOTECH, 2012)

As a standards-based curriculum, the K to 12 spells out its expected

outcomes in terms of learning standards and competencies. These are
articulated in the respective curriculum guides for various learning areas.
Based on DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2015, these standards are:
• Content Standards – identify and set the essential knowledge and
understanding that should be learned. It answers the question, “What
should the learners know?”
 • Performance Standards – describe the abilities and skills that learners
are expected to demonstrate in relation to the content standards and
integration of 21st century skills.
• Learning competencies – refer to the knowledge, understanding, skills
and attitudes that students need to demonstrate in every lesson and/or
learning activity

Salient Features of the K to 12 Curriculum

Now, what are the important features of the K to 12 curriculum? These are:
1. Strengthening Early Childhood Education (Universal Kindergarten).
Every five-year old Filipino child has to be admitted in early childhood
education via Kindergarten before entry to Grade 1. This is mandated already
by Republic Act 10157 (Kindergarten Education Act), which was signed by
former President Benigno Aquino III last January 20, 2012. Education in the
early childhood years is responsible for setting the foundation for holistic
development and lifelong learning. This is supported with the research finding
that learners who have undergone kindergarten have better completion rates
compared to those who did not.
2. Building Proficiency through Language (Mother Tongue-Based
Multilingual Education or MTB-MLE)
Researches have shown that students learn best when first taught in
their first language (L1) or mother tongue (Giron, 2013). According to R.A.
10533, mother tongue “refers to language or languages first learned by a child,
which he/she identifies with, is identified as a native language user of by others,
which he/she knows best or uses most.” As of 2014, 19 major local languages
are used as medium of instruction from Kindergarten to Grade 3, which
Cebuano, Waray, Tagalog, Iloko, Bikol, Hiligaynon, Chabacano, Kapampangan,
Pangasinense, Maguindanaoan, Maranao, Bahasa Sug, Ybanag, Ivatan,
Sambal, Aklanon, Kinaray-a, Yakan and Surigaonon (Corpuz & Salandanan,
2015). Learning the mother tongue serves as the foundation for learning the
second language or L2 (Filipino) and then the third language or L3 (English).

Figure 3. MTB-MLE Bridging Framework. Bridging involves the planned, gradual transition from
L1 to L3 (Giron, 2013). (Source: https://www.slideshare.net/shairalhoanr/bridging-edited)
 Aside from using it as a medium of instruction, MT is also taught as a
subject area in Grades 1-3, along with English and Filipino (Corpuz &
Salandanan, 2015). From Grades 4-6, English and Filipino languages are
progressively used as the medium of instruction.
3. Ensuring Integrated and Seamless Learning (Spiral Progression)
Spiral progression is an approach in designing a curriculum in which
key concepts of a learning area are revisited across grade levels, but with
increasing complexity. After mastering the initial topic in one grade level,
learners will “spiral upward” as new knowledge and competency reinforces and
enriches what has been previously learned and acquired (Salandanan, 2013).
For example, the old high school science curriculum uses the disciplinal
approach, in which one specific branch of science is taught within a year level
i.e., Biology in 2nd year, Chemistry in 3rd Year and Physics in 4th year. However,
in the K to 12 curriculum, all of the four components of science (including Earth
Science) are learned in each year level, but are reintroduced on the next levels
with increasing complexity. Aside from Science, spiral progression is also
employed on the rest of the learning areas in the K to 12 curriculum such as
English, Mathematics, MAPEH, and Araling Panlipunan.

Figure 4. Spiral progression in the K to 12 high school science curriculum. (Source:

https://www.philippinesbasiceducation.us/2015/01/did-we-totally-misunderstand-what.html)

4. Making the Curriculum Relevant to the Learners (Contextualization and

Enhancement)
Contextualization is the process of relating the lessons in the
curriculum to a particular real-life situation, setting or area of application to
make it relevant, meaningful, useful, and adaptive to the learners (DepEd,
2015b; Tinong, 2018). Through contextualization, lessons become pertinent to
the learners as they are able to relate and understand them more deeply. In
general, contextualization can be done by integrating poems, stories, songs,
illustrations, activities, etc. based on local history, culture, and reality. The
degree of contextualization can be distinguished into two (DepEd, 2015b).
a. Localization – the process of relating the specified content in the
curriculum to local information and materials in the learners’
community.
Example: In Math 10 (Statistics and Probability), the learning competency
is “Illustrates the combination of objects”. The localized activity is
conducting a TABO-like scenario (an event where different products and
 marine resources are sold) in the classroom where five varieties of root
crops are presented then listing its possible combinations.
b. Indigenization – the process of enhancing the competencies,
resources and teaching-learning processes of the curriculum with
respect to the bio-geographical, socio-cultural and historical contexts
of the learners’ community. It also involves enhancing the curriculum
framework, design and standards of subject areas, guided by the
standards and principles of the national curriculum.
Teachers are guided to do contextualization based on the Division
Contextualized Learning Matrix (DCLM) of their respective places or localities.
The K to 12 curriculum is also enhanced as it involves discussions on relevant
topics such as Climate Change Adaptation, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), and
Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
5. Gearing Up for the Future (Senior High School). Senior High School (SHS)
is composed of two years of specialized upper secondary education.
Students can choose a specialization based on their interests, aptitudes
and school capacity. The chosen career track of the students will be the
basis for their subjects in Grades 11 and 12. There are a total of 31 subjects
in the SHS curriculum. Fifteen (15) of these are core subjects, seven (7) are
contextualized subjects and nine (9) are specialization subjects.
a. Core Curriculum. This comprises seven learning areas that are
taken by all students whatever track they chose. These include
Philosophy, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Languages,
Literature, Communication, and Mathematics.
b. Tracks. SHS students can select among the four career tracks:
Academic, Sports, Arts and Design, and Technical-Vocational-
Livelihood track (TVL). If the student chooses the Academic track
to pursue college in the future, he/she needs to choose among four
strands that will align to his future degree program, namely General
Academic Strand (GAS), Science, Technology, Engineering,
Mathematics (STEM), Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS)
and Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM). Each student
undergoes immersion, which provides them the pertinent exposure
and actual experience in their preferred track.
c. TVET (Technical Vocational Education & Training) National
Certificate. A student can obtain a Certificate of Competency (COC)
or National Certificate Level I (NC I) when he/she graduates from
Grade 10. When a student completes a TVL track in Grade 12,
he/she is given with a National Certificate Level II (NC II) upon
passing the competency-based assessment of the Technical
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). NC I and NC
II certificates improves the employability of the graduates in fields
like Agriculture, Electronics and Trade.

Learning Option:

To know more about the K to12 curriculum, you may access the following:

https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2013/05/15/republic-act-no-10533/
https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/DO_s2013_43.pdf
 Figure 5. K to 12 Curriculum Model (modified from K to 12 notes of DepEd, 2012).

Why the K to12 was implemented

Like in any reform or innovation introduced, there were contradictions
or criticisms to the implementation of the K to 12 curriculum (you may even
have your own questions). However, there were substantial reasons why the
Department of Education pushed through its implementation.
1. To decongest the curriculum. The 10-year span of our basic education
caused a congested curriculum, and consequently, insufficient mastery of
basic competencies. There was not enough time for students to master the
competencies because we are teaching within 10 years what other
countries are teaching within 12 years.
The congested basic education curriculum before is pointed out to
be one of the factors that caused the consistent low performance in
national and international examinations (SEPO, 2011). The National
Achievement Test (NAT) conducted last 2006 to 2010 revealed that the
achievement rate for the elementary level ranged from 59.4% to 68.0%,
which did not reach the 75% passing mark. It was even worse in the
secondary level, where the achievement rate was below 50%.

80.00%

70.00%

60.00%

50.00%

40.00%

30.00%

20.00%

10.00%

0.00%
2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010
Elementary Secondary Passing Mark

Figure 6. NAT Performance from 2006-2010. (data originally from DepEd as included in the Senate
Economic Planning Office’s Policy Brief on K to 12 released last 2011).
 In the 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science
Survey (TIMSS), the Philippines ranked 23rd among the 25 participating
countries for Grade 4 Science and Math. In high school Science II and
Mathematics II, our country ranked 43rd (out of 46) and 34th (out of 38),
respectively. In 2008 TIMSS, the science high schools who are considered
the best in the country participated in the Advanced Mathematics category
but still fared badly, with the Philippines ranking the lowest out of 10
participating countries.
2. To be at par with the international standard of 12-year basic education.
Prior to K to 12 implementation, the Philippines was the last country in Asia
and one of the three remaining countries in the world with 10 years of basic
education (SEAMEO-INNOTECH, 2012). As a result, graduates who plan to
work abroad are not automatically recognized as professionals, while
students who wish to pursue further studies have to take remedial courses
to satisfy entrance requirements (Bilbao et al., 2020; SEPO, 2011). For
example, the Bologna Accord requires 12 years of basic education before
practice of profession and university admission in European countries.
Likewise, the Washington Accord prescribes the same span of time for
recognition of engineering professionals.

3. To prepare students for higher education and employment (SEPO, 2011).

Based on DepEd’s assessment, secondary graduates of the previous
system are not adequately prepared for tertiary education. These
graduates are also too young (usually 15 years old) to legally join the work
force or even start a business. With the current K to 12 program, the
introductory courses that were taught in college before will now be given in
the senior high school curriculum for better preparation. By the time
students graduate from senior high school, they are of legal age already (18
years old) to be employed and have acquired the necessary skills and
competencies already.

4. To respond to the overdue recommendations of studies and researches in

expanding the years of basic education. The Philippines actually had 11
years of basic education until the 1930s (7-year elementary + 4-year
secondary). The Commonwealth Government decided to reduce the
elementary years to six (which was done) and add two years to high school,
which never happened (de Jesus, 2010). The proposal to lengthen the basic
education in the Philippines was actually been given decades ago. Refer to
the table below.
Table 1. Researches or Proposals to Extend the Philippine Basic Education (adapted from Bilbao
et al., 2020 and Corpuz, 2013).

Source Year Recommendation

Monroe Survey 1925 Training in agriculture, commerce and
industry for students, as secondary
education did not prepare them for life
UNESCO Mission 1949 Restore Grade 7 in primary education
Survey
Education Act 1953 Revise the primary school system by adding
one year (Grade 7)
Swanson Survey 1960 Restore Grade 7 in primary education
 PCSPE 1970 Extend secondary education by one year to
better prepare the students who are not
planning to pursue college education.
Philippine 1998 Use vernacular as medium of instruction in
Education Sector lower primary grades and institute a longer
Study basic education cycle.
PCER 2000 Implement a prerequisite one-year pre-
baccalaureate stage before entering higher
education
Philippine EFA 2006 Lengthen the basic education cycle by adding
2015 National two years (one year for primary and one year
Action Plan for secondary)
Presidential Task 2008 Extend pre-collegiate education to 12 years to
Force on Education be at par with international programs

Outcomes-Based Education (OBE)

(Bilbao et al., 2020; Pawilen, 2019)

Did you know that OBE marked the biggest paradigm shift in higher
education in the past decade? The curricula of various degree programs,
including the new teacher education curriculum you are taking now, have been
anchored already on the concept of OBE.
Outcomes-based education – advocated by William Spady (1994), it is a
learner-centered approach to education that emphasizes on what students
should be able to do in the real world when they have completed their courses
or degree programs, in general
OBE has four essential principles that will guide instructors in planning,
teaching and assessing learning.
1. Clarity of focus – everything that the teachers plan and do must focus
on what they want the learners to do successful.
2. Designing backwards – based on the learning outcome, content,
methods, learning activities and assessments are carefully determined
to ensure alignment
3. High expectations – challenging standards and expectations are
established to encourage students to learn better
4. Expanded opportunities – since students are expected to excel, equal
and expanded opportunities must be provided to develop or nurture
their inborn potentials
OBE contrasts with traditional education, in which the latter primarily
focuses on the resources (content) that are available to the student, which are
called inputs. OBE focuses on the process of learning itself by using learner-
centered methods and assessment tools that are valid, reliable and authentic.

While outcomes represent the target destination of the learner’s

journey, the route, tools and methods to reach that destination are flexible. This
means that teachers can still plan teaching strategies and learning activities in
a way that is responsive to the needs of their learners. They also have to create
a positive learning environment where the academic relationship of the teacher
and students flourishes. Understandably, teachers need to tell their students
what are the learning outcomes so that they are aware what they have to
achieve and become responsible for their learning.

Curriculum Modifications: In the Light of Educational Disruption

The COVID-19 pandemic is currently the most challenging global health

calamity in the 21st century, as well as the greatest problem that humanity has
faced ever since World War II (Chakraborty & Maity, 2020; UNDP, 2020). It is
also responsible for the biggest educational disruption in the history, causing
school closures that affected 1.6 billion learners around the world (United
Nations, 2020).
Despite the struggle for adjustment, the challenges of the pandemic
have been responded by academic institutions with resiliency, flexibility and
adaptability. The Department of Education was able to issue D.O. No. 12, s.
2020, stipulating their Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP). It
contains all their educational interventions in response to the COVID-19 health
crisis. You will look into two major aspects of the BE-LCP for this final topic in
PrEd 132n. Your familiarity with them will help you understand how a
responsive curriculum is needed, especially in times of educational disruption.

A. Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCS)

Part of the BE-LCP is the streamlining of the intended curriculum so that
only the “essentials” are covered. This will make the curriculum decongested,
as well as relevant and flexible to the present situation (Bilbao et al., 2020;
DepEd, 2020b). Teachers will have less to teach and so learners can focus on
achieving mastery of the essentials (Bilbao et al., 2020). The Department of
Education (2020b) released the Most Essential Learning Competencies to be
used for S.Y. 2020-2021, which reduced the original 14,171 competencies to
5,689 competencies (60% reduction). However, DepEd (2020b) stated that the
MELCs is not necessarily a substitute for the full curriculum guides. Below are
the steps done by DepEd (2020b) to identify the MELCs.
1. The learning competencies (LCs) in the existing curriculum were
classified into two, namely essential LCs and desirable LCs.
2. After identifying the essential LCs, these were further streamlined or
simplified to have the most essential learning competencies. The
primary determining factor was the “endurance” criteria. It tells us that
an LC is enduring if it remains with the learner even after a single test
or unit of study. Hence, an enduring LC is retained.
3. Some LCs were also rephrased, merged or removed. It is rephrased to
be more concise. It is merged with another LC if they have the same
learning intention. It is dropped if it is too specific, repeated, can be
subsumed to another LC or moved to another grade level or quarter.
Table 2. Illustrative examples of formulating the MELCS (adapted from DepEd, 2020b)

Subject Area Original LC(s) MELC

Araling Nasasabi ang batayang Nasasabi ang batayang
Panlipunan impormasyon tungkol sa impormasyon tungkol sa
sarili: pangalan, magulang, sarili: pangalan, magulang,
kaarawan, edad, tirahan, kaarawan, edad, tirahan,
paaralan, iba pang paaralan, iba pang
pagkakakilanlan at mga pagkakakilanlan at mga
katangian bilang Pilipino. katangian bilang Pilipino.
(this LC was retained)
Mathematics Illustrates linear Illustrates and graphs linear
inequalities in two inequalities in two variables
variables
(original LCs were merged
Graphs linear inequalities and rephrased)
in two variables
Science Recognize the importance Design a product out of local,
of recycle, reduce, reuse, recyclable solid and/or liquid
recover and repair in materials in making useful
waste management. products. (this retained LC
(this LC was deleted) covers the intention of the
deleted LC)
In higher education, some similar steps can be done by identifying the
needed outcomes (required for learning higher concepts) and enduring
outcomes, then putting emphasis to enduring outcomes (Bilbao et al., 2020).

B. Learning Delivery Modalities

As stated in the BE-LCP of DO No. 12, s. 2020, one or a combination of
the specified curriculum delivery modes can be adopted by schools depending
on the context of the learners and the school. Some learning delivery
modalities are listed below as explained in the BE-LCP. All of them are
anchored on the concept of flexible learning, a mode of learning in which
students’ individual contexts are considered on what, when, how and where
they learn (Top Hat, n.d.).
1. Distance Learning – a kind of learning modality where the learning
process occurs between the teacher and the students who are
geographically separated. It has three types:
a. Modular Distance Learning (MDL) – provides individualized
instruction by utilizing self-learning modules (SLMs) either in
printed or digital format.
b. Online Distance Learning (ODL) – the teachers facilitates the
learners using internet-based technologies, either synchronous
(live) or in an asynchronous manner.
c. Television (TV) / Radio-Based Instruction – uses SLMs that are
converted into video lessons or radio scripts for broadcast in
television channels or radio stations, respectively
 2. Blended learning – from the name itself, it combines face-to-face
classes with any or a combination of modular MDL, ODL and TV/radio-
based instruction.
3. Homeschooling – learners are guided by qualified individuals (e.g.,
parents, guardians or tutors) who have undergone training for teaching
in a home-based environment. However, this learning modality is still
subject for review.

Figure 7. Learning in the new normal. (Source: https://www.thesummitexpress.

com/2020/07/deped-prepares-printed-online-self-learning-modules-sy-2020-2021.html)

Although it has a wider scale of implementation now, flexible learning

is not a new concept in DepEd. The agency has already implemented
Alternative Delivery Modes (ADMs) for years already to solve problems in
educational access (Bilbao et al., 2020; SEAMEO-INNOTECH, 2012). Based on
DO 54, s. 2012, ADMs include the Modified In-School and Off-School Approach
(MISOSA), Enhanced Instructional Management by Parents, Community, and
Teachers (e-IMPACT) and Open High School Program (OHSP). In addition,
DepEd also implements the Alternative Learning System (ALS) for those who
cannot enter formal education in schools (Bilbao et al., 2020).

As we live in an uncertain world, ideal or normal situations for

curriculum implementation are not guaranteed. Aside from health
emergencies, there are other tough circumstances that can potentially cause
educational disruptions. Thus, the element of preparedness must not be
overlooked to ensure that learners will continue to have access to education
even during times of crises (INEE, n.d.). Schools and other key stakeholders
need to formulate contingency plans that include suitable strategies and
procedures to mitigate the effects of any educational disruption. This is where
the curriculum comes in.
In any difficult situation that challenge the delivery of instruction, the
curriculum must be adjusted or adapted to suit the immediate context of the
school and the learners (UNICEF, 2015, 2020). It may also be recalibrated to
emphasize integrative lessons that embed cross-cutting skills, literacy skills
and life skills (UP College of Education, 2020). Relevant courses or topics as
well as ideas on social cohesion, school safety, psycho-social support during
crisis, and disaster risk reduction can also be incorporated (Bilbao et al., 2020;
UNICEF, 2015). Lastly, curriculum plans must include its delivery through
feasible alternative learning modalities.