CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Gov. Lilia Pineda said on Friday that Pampanga must be ready for the full implementation of K to 12 Program.
Pineda urged the Pampanga mayors to help the Department of Education (DepEd) in the preparation for the full implementation of the K to 12 Program by providing more funds for the construction of classrooms intended for the incoming senior high-school students.
“Our assistance to the DepEd for K to 12 Program is tantamount to helping the youth in your respective towns and cities as they are the direct beneficiaries,” the governor told the mayors during the “Forum on the K-12 Program: Senior High School Implementation in Pampanga” held at the Session Hall of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on Friday. It was learned that the Philippines is the last country in Asia and one of only three countries worldwide with a 10-year pre-university cycle. Angola and Djibouti are the other two.
Celia P. Lacanlale, officer in charge of the Implementation Division of DepEd Pampanga, said the success of K to 12 also lies in the hands of the local governments, parents-teachers associations and the non-governmental organizations that are helping the department by sponsoring the construction of more classrooms.
“Tayo ay para sa edukasyon. We need each other for the success of this program. Our convergence and cooperation may mean a better preparation for K to 12 Program,” Lacanlale said.
In response, the Pampanga mayors, led by their president, Apalit Mayor Oscar Tetangco Jr., said they are one in providing full support to the K to 12 Program.
The other mayors who attended the forum are Arayat Mayor Emmanuel Alejandrino; Bacolor Mayor Jomar Hizon; Candaba Mayor Rene Maglanque; Floridablanca Mayor Eddie Guerrero; Guagua Mayor Dante Torres; Lubao Mayor Mylyn Pineda Cayabyab; Porac Mayor Condralito de la Cruz; San Simon Mayor Leonora Wong; Santa Ana Mayor Rommel Concepcion; Santo Tomas Mayor Lito Naguit; Macabebe Mayor Annette Balgan; Masanto Mayor Dan Guinto; Sasmuan Mayor Nardo Velasco; Magalang Mayor Romulo Pecson; City of San Fernando Mayor Edwin Santiago; Mabalacat City Mayor Marino Boking Morales; and Minalin Mayor Edgardo Flores.
The mayors said they are very much willing to help, however, they need also the cooperation of the DepEd in providing them detailed information on what would be their participation so they appropriately respond to the needs especially in terms of providing classrooms.
During the forum, it was agreed that the DepEd, provincial and municipal or city governments will converge their resources for the completion of needed classrooms.
The mayors also asked Pineda to increase the annual P5-million financial aid of the provincial to the municipal governments to P10 million so they could address the lack of classrooms for senior high-school students.
With the additional funding assistance from the Capitol plus local funds, the mayors said they could increase the funds for the construction of school buildings. Pampanga Education Supt. Leonardo Zapanta said that the department is getting ready with for the implementation of senior high school in School Year 2016-2017.
“We are on the fifth year of the implementation of the K to 12 Program. Our last mile is the senior high school. We have finished planning and have figures on enrollment a year in advance,” he said.
Zapanta said senior high school means two additional years for the students to equip them with skills that will better prepare them for the future, whether it be: employment, entrepreneurship, skills development (further technical vocational training) on higher education or college.
“Beginning SY 2016-2017, students must go through Grades 11 and 12 to graduate from high school. If a student chooses not to go to senior high school, he is considered Grade 10 completer, but not high-school graduate. Elementary graduates are those who finished Grade 6; high-school graduates must have finished Grade 12,” he added.
Image credits: Jun Jaso