UNICEF opposes move to amend K-12 program

An official of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) bucked the move to amend the K-12 program as President Marcos joined the growing critics to the 12-year basic education.

- By BELLA CARIASO

UNICEF Education chief Fushimi Akihiro backed instead the implementation of the strengthened Senior High School after the Department of Education (DepEd) piloted the amended SHS program to more than 800 schools as classes opened on June 16.

"The K-12 is the right direction which the Philippines has taken and we fully support that and we fully support the piloting of the (strengthened) Senior High School curriculum as the classes open so that we can have a very solid K-12," Fushimi said.

Marcos has responded to calls by some senators to scrap or reform the program institutionalized into law in 2013.

"If you look at the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) of countries for example, for the basic education duration, it's 12 years in general," Fushimi noted.

The Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 or K-12 law added two years of senior high school to the Philippines' basic education system and allows senior high school students to specialize in one of three tracks — technical-vocational-livelihood, sports and arts and design.