The K to 12 Basic Education Program

Distinctive Features and Guiding Princi-

ples REPORTER
Harlette Alarcio Laguidao
BSEd Sciences 2A
 We need to add two years to our
basic education. Those who can
afford pay up to fourteen years of
schooling before university.
Thus, their children are getting
into the best universities and the
best jobs after graduation. I want
at least 12 years for our public-
school children to give them an
even chance at succeeding.”
– President Benigno S. Aquino
III
 "K to 12 Basic Education
Curriculum is geared to-
wards the development of a
holistically developed Fil-
ipino with 21st century skills
who is ready for employ-
ment, entrepreneurship,
middle level skills develop-
ment and higher education
upon graduation from Grade
 K to 12 Distinctive
Features and Guid-
D
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ing Principles
 K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM: DISTINCTIVE FEATURES AND GUIDING
PRINCIPLES

1. It is learner-centered
The learner is the very reason
of the entire curriculum system. Who
the learner is in his/her totality, how
he/she learns and develops and what
his/her needs were highly considered
in the making of the K to 12 curricu-
lum framework.
 K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM: DISTINCTIVE FEATURES AND GUIDING
PRINCIPLES

1. It is learner-centered
The holistic learning and development
of the learner is its primary focus. Teacher
creates a conducive atmosphere where the
learner enjoys learning, takes part in mean-
ingful learning experiences and experiences
success, he/she is respected, accepted and
feels safe even if in his/her learning explo-
ration he/she commits mistakes.
 K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM: DISTINCTIVE FEATURES AND GUIDING
PRINCIPLES

1. It is learner-centered
He/she learns at his/her own pace in
his/her own learning style.
He/she is empowered to make choices
and to become responsible for his/her own
learning in the classroom and for a lifetime.
The learner-centered K to 12 curricu-
lum gives prime importance to developing
self-propelling and independent lifelong
learners.
 K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM: DISTINCTIVE FEATURES AND GUIDING
PRINCIPLES

2. It is inclusive
It reaches out to all kinds of learners
regardless of ability, condition, age, gen-
der, ethnicity, and social status.
It is built on the principle that every
child has a right to education and that the
education system needs to be flexible to
accommodate the learning needs of all
learners.
 K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM: DISTINCTIVE FEATURES AND GUIDING
PRINCIPLES

2. It is inclusive
The emphasis is on making
schools learner-friendly, main-
streaming learners with disability
into general schools, and creating a
non-discriminatory education sys-
tem where all learners have equal
opportunity to learn.
 K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM: DISTINCTIVE FEATURES AND GUIDING
PRINCIPLES

3. It is developmentally appropriate
The K to 12 curriculum considers the
various developmental stages of learners.
Selection of activities is informed by age-
appropriateness, individual differences, and
social and cultural diversity.
 RECAP
K to 12 Distinctive Features
and Guiding Principles
1. It is learner-centered
2. It is inclusive
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3. It is developmentally ap-
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propriate
 K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM: DISTINCTIVE FEATURES AND GUIDING

4. It is standard-based and competency-based

PRINCIPLES

What learners should know and be able to do

and the levels of proficiency at which they are ex-
pected to demonstrate what they know and can do are
clearly stated in the form of standards unpacked into
competencies. With a standards- and competencies-
based curriculum, learners understand what are
expected of them, parents are clear on what are
expected of their children, teachers are guided on
what to teach and how to teach, and the DepEd is
provided with a common reference tool for national
assessment.
 K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM: DISTINCTIVE FEATURES AND GUIDING
PRINCIPLES

4. It is standard-based and competency-based

With standards, competencies are connected

to ensure integrated and meaningful teaching instead
of isolated, disconnected and meaningless teaching.
 K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM: DISTINCTIVE FEATURES AND GUIDING
PRINCIPLES

5. It is research-based
The new features of the K to 12 cur-
riculum are backed up by hard data. The
use of Mother Tongue as a medium of in-
struction from K to Grade 3 is supported
by a research finding that children learn
better and are more active in class and
learn a second language even faster when
they are first taught in a language they un-
derstand.
 K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM: DISTINCTIVE FEATURES AND GUIDING
PRINCIPLES

5. It is research-based
The strengthening of ICT-integration in the
basic education curriculum in order to meet the
21st century skills required by employers, the use
of the spiral progression approach in the teaching
of Math and Science and the development of alter-
native delivery modes to provide equal opportunity
for all are backed up by the recommendations of
the DepED-commissioned researches conducted by
SEAMEO-INNOTECH and University of Mel-
bourne.
 K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM: DISTINCTIVE FEATURES AND GUIDING
PRINCIPLES

5. It is research-based
Other research recommendations that
were integrated in the K to 12 curriculum are
the use of the expanding spiral progression
approach in the teaching of Science, Mathe-
matics, Araling Panlipunan, MAPEH and
Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao and the deliber-
ate teaching of the investigatory process in
Science as a separate topic by Grade 7.
 K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM: DISTINCTIVE FEATURES AND GUIDING
PRINCIPLES

6. It is relevant and responsive

The K to 12 curriculum is aligned
with national education and develop-
ment goals enunciated in the laws of
the country and to the ten-point educa-
tion agenda of the President Noynoy
Aquino. It also responds to the Millen-
nium Development and Education for
All goals.
 K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM: DISTINCTIVE FEATURES AND GUIDING
PRINCIPLES

6. It is relevant and responsive

As the curriculum framework shows, the K to
12 curriculum is designed to respond to the need for a
nationalistic and productive citizenry who contributes
to the building of a progressive, just, and humane soci-
ety and whose personal discipline is grounded on ethi-
cal, moral and spiritual values. The curriculum likewise
addresses the demands of global citizenship and part-
nership for development that ensures environmental
sustainability. In short, the K to 12 curriculum responds
to the learning needs of the learner of the 21 st century
and the of the local, national and global community.
  K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM: DISTINCTIVE FEATURES AND GUIDING
PRINCIPLES

7. It is Value-driven
The curriculum offers a subject in Val-
ues. In the K to 12 curriculum, every teacher
is a Values Education teacher as all subject
matter is a potent vehicle for values integra-
tion.
In the K to 12 curriculum, the learner
learns and develops in a value-driven envi-
ronment where everyone is respected and is
valued for he/she is.
 K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM: DISTINCTIVE FEATURES AND GUIDING
PRINCIPLES

8. It is culture-responsive and culture-sensitive

To be truly inclusive, the K to 12
curriculum respects cultures and expe-
riences of various ethnic groups and
uses these as resources for teaching and
learning. Teachers are expected to pro-
vide lessons that cater to a culturally
diverse population and honor the cul-
tural heritage of all learners.
 K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM: DISTINCTIVE FEATURES AND GUIDING
PRINCIPLES

8. It is culture-responsive and culture-sensitive

Given the multi-cultural charac-
teristics of Philippine schools, the
Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Ed-
ucation (MTB-MLE) makes the cur-
riculum truly culture-responsive. Learn-
ing mother tongue language helps
learners retain their ethnic identity, cul-
ture, heritage and values.
 K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM: DISTINCTIVE FEATURES AND GUIDING
PRINCIPLES

8. It is culture-responsive and culture-sensitive

To make it responsive to Mus-

lim learners, the K to 12 curriculum
continues to offer Madrasah educa-
tion with subjects in Arabic Lan-
guage and Islamic Values Education
(ALIVE) as a vital component of the
basic education system.
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Thank you
 (2012). K-12 Basic Educa-
tion Program. Retrieved
from academia.edu
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References
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