FORTY-FOUR percent of Filipinos are “dissatisfied” with the K to 12 program, a Pulse Asia survey conducted last month showed, which is up by 16 percentage points in a similar survey conducted in September 2019.
The survey, commissioned by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, showed that of the dissatisfied, 55 percent are from the National Capital Region, 41 from Luzon, 47 percent from the Visayas, and 41 percent from Mindanao.
Thirty-seven percent from social classes A, B, and C were dissatisfied, 45 percent from social class D, and another 45 percent from social class E were also dissatisfied.
The survey showed that 39 percent of the respondents were “satisfied” with the K to 12 program, with 30 percent coming from the NCR, 35 percent from the Visayas, and 42 percent from Mindanao.
Eighteen percent of the respondents were undecided.
The survey was conducted June 24 to 27 with 1,200 respondents.
The September 2019 survey showed 50 percent of the respondents were “satisfied” with the program, and only 28 percent were “dissatisfied.” Twenty percent were undecided.
Gatchalian also commissioned a survey in December 2019 which showed that among those dissatisfied with the K to 12 program, additional financial burden was the top reason for the dissatisfaction with 78 percent.
“The voice of the people is very clear that they are not contended with the K to 12 program. It is due to the failed promise of the program (that K to 12 graduates are eligible to work) and that it is an added burden to the parents,” Gatchalian said.
A 2020 discussion paper by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies showed that while the K to 12 program promised to boost employment among senior high school graduates, only a little over 20 percent of the graduates entered the labor force, while 70 percent continued their education.
Gatchalian said the same discussion paper said that historically, the Filipino youth or those aged 15 to 24 have the lowest rates in terms of labor force participation in the Asean region. As an example, he said that in Vietnam, 70 percent of its youths are in the labor force as compared to around 60 percent of their counterparts in the Philippines.
Gatchalian said the government should review the K to 12 program to ensure the country offers quality education to make students more competitive.
