House Committee Advances Proposal for Ladderized Approach in K-12 Curriculum

A bill to introduce a “ladderized approach” in the Kinder to Grade 12 (K-12) curriculum has passed a committee vote at the House of Representatives.

The House Committee on Basic Education and Culture approved House Bill 238, which aims to improve the K-12 education and teacher proficiency by amending Republic Act 10533 or The Education Act of 2013. The bill’s author, Caloocan City Rep. Mary Mitzi Cajayon-Uy, highlighted the poor performance of the Philippines in reading, math, and science in the 2018 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) and noted the issue lies in both student ability and teaching.

The bill proposes to restructure the education system using the ladderized approach for mastery of knowledge and skills after each level, instead of the spiral progression approach used in RA 10533.

The bill also creates the Teacher Education and Training Committee to improve teacher hiring and training processes. A separate bill was approved to strengthen the Good Manners and Right Conduct and Value Education Act in K-12. The Education Secretary, Sara Duterte, plans to revise the K-12 curriculum to develop “lifelong learners with 21st-century skills, discipline, and patriotism.”

The DepEd will work with the Commission on Higher Education and Technical Education and Skills Training Authority to address job mismatches and calls on industries to help bridge the school-to-employment gap by accepting students in work immersions and hiring them upon graduation.

Source: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1194677