Militant teachers, students cry: Stop K-to-12 program

By: Carmel Loise Matus June 01,2016 - 10:18 PM

Militant groups are calling on the Department of Education in Central Visayas (DepEd-7) and the Commission on Higher Education in Central Visayas (CHED-7) to stop the implementation of the K-to-12 program, citing the lack of facilities to accommodate students as one of the major problems that these agencies need to address.

Antonia Lim, union president of Alliance of Concerned Teachers in Central Visayas (ACT-7), said the schools are not ready in terms of facilities and curriculum to implement the program.

Lim said that classrooms for incoming senior high school students are still under construction and the existing facilities in the schools, specifically in Cebu province, could not accommodate them.

Lim, a high school teacher at the Abellana National School, told CEBU DAILY NEWS that even in their own school, the building for the incoming senior high school students is still under construction.

Aside from the ACT-7, members of the Kabataang party-list also attended the protest rally of at least 18 persons yesterday in front of the CHED-7 and DepEd-7 offices in Sudlon, Barangay Lahug, Cebu City.

PARENT’S LAMENT

Nanette Lawas, 49, who is a mother of two incoming senior high school students, also participated in the protest rally.

Lawas said the K-to-12 program will make the lives of parents like her, whose income is only P500 a day, more difficult.

“Where would I get the money to buy their uniform? I’m having a difficult time looking for their fare and their food. I have to borrow money so they can go to school,” she said in Cebuano during the rally.

In an interview, Lawas said since the technical vocational courses are offered separately in schools, she had to look for schools near their house in Danao City that have the proffered courses. Compostela National High School, which is quite far from their home, was the only viable choice she could find.

Lawas and her family live in Barangay Sabang, Danao City.

WORKING ON IT

Dr. Rhea Mar Angtud, DepEd Cebu Schools Superintendent, in a separate interview last week admitted that they are 90 percent K-to-12 ready, indicating that they are still working on the remaining 10 percent.

She also said there are ongoing construction of classrooms for senior high school student in schools under Cebu province division (excluding component cities).

They need 1,038 classrooms to accommodate the 28,000 incoming senior high school students.

Angtud said only 371 classrooms have been completed and there are still 639 that are under construction.

They are targeting to complete 498 out of the 639 classrooms that are still under construction.

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TAGS: Central Visayas, Commission on Higher Education, Department of Education, DepEd, education, K-12, school, Teachers

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