Jinggoy Estrada Questions Whether K to 12 Works for Filipinos
JINGGOY ESTRADA – Senator Jinggoy Estrada stirred controversy after declaring the K to 12 program a failure during Senate budget deliberations for the Department of Education.
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada did not mince words as he voiced his disappointment over the K to 12 education system, describing it as a failed program that has fallen short of its intended goals. His remarks surfaced during the Senate’s budget deliberations for the Department of Education (DepEd), where he questioned the effectiveness and relevance of the senior high school (SHS) curriculum.
During the session, Estrada highlighted that senior high school graduates still struggle to secure employment despite completing the additional two years meant to make them job-ready. He said, “I think this is a failure, since lahat yung mga nakapagtapos na sa senior high school pag nag-aapply sila ng trabaho ang hinahanap nila ay college graduate pa rin.”
According to Estrada, his office continues to receive numerous messages and complaints urging the abolition of the senior high school program. Instead of giving students an advantage, he argued, K to 12 increases the financial burden on families. He emphasized that the additional two years translate to bigger expenses, including tuition fees, books, transportation, food, and other daily needs—costs that many Filipino families struggle to meet.
Senate Finance Committee chair and budget sponsor Sherwin Gatchalian, however, defended the rationale behind the program. He explained that the K to 12 system was designed to align the Philippines with global education standards. “Almost 99% ng mga bansa ay meron na pong K to 12. So, yun po yung isang rationale kaya po bakit tayo nag K to 12 para maging aligned tayo sa global standards,” Gatchalian said.
Gatchalian further noted that improvements are underway as the program continues to evolve. He cited Education Secretary Sonny Angara’s acknowledgment that K to 12 remains a work in progress.
Currently, DepEd is pushing for reforms aimed at addressing the program’s shortcomings. Among the key changes is the reduction of core subjects in senior high school—from 15 down to 5: Math, Science, Life Skills, Communication, and Kasaysayan. These adjustments are intended to streamline the curriculum and strengthen essential competencies.
As discussions continue, the debate over the future of K to 12 remains a pressing national issue, with lawmakers, educators, and families all looking for solutions that genuinely benefit Filipino learners.
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