GENERAL INFORMATION

WHATIS THE K TO 12 PROGRAM?

The K to 12 Program covers 13 years of

basic education with the following key
stages:
Kindergarten to Grade 3
Grades 4 to 6
Grades 7 to 10 (Junior High School)
Grades 11 and 12 (Senior High School)

WHY ARE WE NOW IMPLEMENTING 12

YEARS OF EDUCATION?

The Philippines is the last country in

Asia and one of only three countries
worldwide with a 10-year pre-university
cycle (Angola and Djibouti are the other
two).
A 12-year program is found to be the
best period for learning under basic
education. It is also the recognized
standard for students and professionals
globally.

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO GET READY

WITH THE K TO 12? ARE WE REALLY
READY FOR THE K TO 12?

SY 2011-2012: Universal Kindergarten

implementation begins
SY 2012-2013: Enhanced curriculum for
Grades 1-7 implemented
2013: K to 12 enacted into Law
2014: Curriculum for Grades 11-12 finished
This 2015, we are getting ready for the
implementation of Senior High School (SHS)
in SY 2016-2017.

We are on the fifth year of the implementation of the K to 12

Program. Our last mile is the Senior High School. All 221
divisions of the Department of Education (DepEd) have
finished planning and have figures on enrolment a year in
advance. These plans were reviewed by a separate team and
finalized upon consultation with other stakeholders.
Classrooms:DepEd has built 66,813 classrooms from
2010 to 2013. There are 33,608 classrooms completed
and undergoing construction in 2014. As of DepEd is
planning to establish 5,899 Senior High Schools
nationwide. As of April 30, 2015, DepEd has issued
provisional permits to 1,866 private schools set to offer
Senior High School in 2016.
Teachers:From 2010-2014, DepEd has filled 128,105 new
teacher items. DepEd is targeting two kinds of teachers:
those who will teach the core subjects, and those who
will teach the specialized subjects per track. DepEd will
hire 37,000 teachers for Senior High School for 2016
alone.

Textbooks:Learning materials are being

produced for elementary to junior high while
textbooks for Senior High School (which has
specialized subjects) are being bid out.
Curriculum:The K to 12 curriculum is
standards- and competence-based. It is
inclusive and built around the needs of the
learners and the community. The curriculum is
done and is available on the DepEd website. It is
the first time in history that the entire
curriculum is digitized and made accessible to
the public.
Private SHS:There are 2,199 private schools
cleared to offer Senior High School and over 200
more being processed.

HOW WILL K TO 12 AFFECT COLLEGE

CURRICULUM?

The College General Education curriculum

will have fewer units. Subjects that have
been taken up in Basic Education will be
removed
from
the
College
General
Education curriculum.
Details of the new GE Curriculum may be
found
in
CHED Memorandum Order No. 20, series of
2013
.

I have been hearing that a lot of

people have not been consulted
regarding K to 12. Is this true?

DepEd has always been transparent in

the planning and implementation of K
to 12. There have been regular
consultations with various sectors
since 2010, before the law was
passed, during the crafting of the IRR,
and during implementations. DepEd
representatives have also attended
various
fora
and
conferences,
including
legislative
inquiries,
regarding K to12. We are open to
criticisms and suggestions regarding
this.

How can I help improve basic

education?

Private partners can donate through the

Adopt-A-School program. A 150% tax
incentive will be provided for every
contribution.
Help spread awareness and information
on the K to 12 Program.

K TO 12 CURRICULUM

How will the current curriculum be affected by

K to 12 ? What subjects will be added and
removed?

The current curriculum has been enhanced

for K to 12 and now gives more focus to
allow mastery of learning.
For the new Senior High School grades
(Grades 11 and 12), core subjects such as
Mathematics, Science and Language will be
strengthened. Specializations or tracks in
students areas of interest will also be
offered.
Changes to specific subjects are detailed in
the K to 12 Curriculum Guides, viewable and
downloadable at bit.ly/kto12curriculum.

How will schools implementing

special curricular programs such as
science high schools, high schools
for the arts, and technical
vocational schools be affected by K
to 12?

Schools
with
special
curricular
programs will implement enriched
curriculums specific to their program
(e.g. science, arts) following the K to
12 standards.

How will multi-grade teaching be

affected by K to 12?

Multi-grade teaching will continue

and will use the K to 12 Curriculum

How will specific learning groups such

as indigenous people, Muslim learners,
and people with special needs be
affected by K to 12?

The K to 12 Curriculum was

designed to address diverse
learner needs, and may be adapted
to fit specific learner groups
.

WHICH MOTHER TONGUE WILL BE USED

AS THE LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION IN
MULTI-CULTURAL AREAS?

The principle of MTB-MLE is to use the language that learners are

most comfortable and familiar with; therefore, the common language in
the area or lingua franca shall be used as the language of instruction.
There are currently 19 mother tongue languages:
Akianon
Bahasa Sug
Bikol
Cebuano
Chabacano
Hiligaynon
Iloko
Ivatan
Kapampangan
Kinaray-a
Maguindanaoan
Meranao
Pangasinense
Sambal
Surigaonon
Tagalog
Waray
Yakan
Ybanag

KINDERGARTEN CONCERNS

Under K to 12, will Kindergarten be

a pre-requisite for entering Grade 1?

Yes. Republic Act No. 10157, or the

Kindergarten
Education
Act,
institutionalizes Kindergarten as part
of the basic education system and is a
pre-requisite for admission to Grade 1.
Republic Act No. 10157
January 20, 2012

With K to 12, will there be an overlap

between the Day Care program of
Local Government Units (LGUs) and
DepEd Kindergarten?

No. Day Care Centers of LGUs take care

of children aged 4 or below, while the
DepEd Kindergarten program is
intended for children who are at least 5
years old by October 31 st of the present
school year.

With K to 12, should schools prepare

permanent records for Kindergarten
students?

Yes. While the assessment on readiness

skills of students in Kindergarten is not
academically driven, a good measure of
the child's ability to cope with formal
schooling is needed for future learning
interventions

WHO IS IN CHARGE OF
KINDERGARTEN TEACHER
COMPENSATION?

DepEd is the main agency that employs and pays

Kindergarten teachers in public schools. However,
there are LGUs that help in the Kindergarten
program and provide honoraria for additional
Kindergarten teachers in public schools.

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

WHAT IS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL?

Senior High School (SHS) covers the

last two years of the K to 12 program
and includes Grades 11 and 12. In SHS,
students will go through a core
curriculum and subjects under a track
of their choice

WILL SHS MEAN TWO MORE YEARS

OF HIGH SCHOOL?

Yes. These two additional years will equip

learners with skills that will better
prepare them for the future, whether it be:
Employment
Entrepreneurship
Skills Development (Further Tech-Voc
training)
Higher Education (College

WILL THE ADDITIONAL TWO YEARS OF

HIGH SCHOOL MEAN ADDITIONAL
EXPENSES?

Not necessarily.
Senior High School completes basic education
by making sure that the high school graduate is
equipped for work, entrepreneurship, or higher
education. This is a step up from the 10-year cycle
where high school graduates still need further
education (and expenses) to be ready for the
world.
SHS will be offered free in public schools and
there will be a voucher program in place for public
junior high school completers as well as ESC
beneficiaries of private high schools should they
choose to take SHS in private institutions.
This means that the burden of expenses for the
additional two years need not be completely
shouldered by parents.

WHAT WILL I LEARN IN SHS THAT

THE CURRENT HIGH SCHOOL
CURRICULUM DOESNT INCLUDE?

Senior High School covers eight (8) learning areas as part of its core
curriculum, and adds specific tracks (similar to college courses)
based on four (4) disciplines:
Academic (which includes Business, Science & Engineering,
Humanities & Social Science, and a General Academic strand)
Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (with highly specialized subjects with
TESDA qualifications)
Sports
Arts & Design
SHS Students may pick a track based on how he or she will want to
proceed after high school graduation. You can learn more about the
tracks and strands (as well as their curriculum) in the
K to 12 Curriculum Guides

Senior High School Core Subjects

Core Learning Areas and Subjects

hours per
semester

Oral Communication
Reading & Writing
Language
Komunikasyon at Pananaliksik sa Wika at Kulturang Pilipino
Pagbasa at Pagsusuri ng Ibat Ibang Teksto Tungo sa Pananaliksik
21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World
Humanities
Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions
Communication Media & Information Literacy
General Mathematics
Mathematics
Statistics & Probability
Earth and Life Science (Lecture and Laboratory)
Science
Physical Science (Lecture and Laboratory)
Personal Development / Pansariling Kaunlaran
Social Science
Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person / Pambungad sa Pilosopiya
Philosophy
ng Tao
PE and Health Physical Education and Health

80
80
80
80
80
80
80
80
80
80
80
80
80

CORE Total Number of Hours

1,200

TRACK Total Number of Hours

1,280

Total Number of Hours (CORE + TRACK)

2,480
6.2
hours/day

Total Hours (CORE + TRACK) divided by Number of School Days in SHS (400) = average hours/day
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

80
80

THE PROPOSED GRADES 11 AND 12 WILL HAVE 31

80-HOUR SUBJECTS, TOTALLING 2,480 HOURS.

31 TOTAL SUBJECTS

16

15

Track Subjects

Core Subjects

Contextualized
Subjects

Specialization
subjects

Each subject will have 80 hours per semester

P.E. and Health will have 20 hours per semester for 4 semesters
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL SUBJECTS

Core Subjects

same
same
content competencies

Contextualized
Subjects in the Tracks

different
same
content competencies

Specialization
Subjects in the Tracks

different different
content competencies

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Senior High School Core Subjects

Core Learning Areas and Subjects

hours per
semester

Oral Communication
Reading & Writing
Language
Komunikasyon at Pananaliksik sa Wika at Kulturang Pilipino
Pagbasa at Pagsusuri ng Ibat Ibang Teksto Tungo sa Pananaliksik
21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World
Humanities
Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions
Communication Media & Information Literacy
General Mathematics
Mathematics
Statistics & Probability
Earth and Life Science (Lecture and Laboratory)
Science
Physical Science (Lecture and Laboratory)
Personal Development / Pansariling Kaunlaran
Social Science
Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person / Pambungad sa Pilosopiya
Philosophy
ng Tao
PE and Health Physical Education and Health

80
80
80
80
80
80
80
80
80
80
80
80
80

CORE Total Number of Hours

1,200

TRACK Total Number of Hours

1,280

Total Number of Hours (CORE + TRACK)

2,480
6.2
hours/day

Total Hours (CORE + TRACK) divided by Number of School Days in SHS (400) = average hours/day
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

80
80

Contextualized Track Subjects

Academic, Technical-Vocational-Livelihood,
Sports, Arts & Design Tracks
1

English for Academic and Professional Purposes

Research in Daily Life 1

Research in Daily Life 2

Pagsulat sa Filipino sa Piling Larangan (Akademik, Isports, Sining at Tech-Voc)

Empowerment Technologies (E-Tech): ICT for Professional Tracks

Entrepreneurship

Research Project / Culminating Activity*

Each subject will have 80 hours per semester
*For Finalization
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

ACADEMIC TRACK
SPECIALIZED SUBJECTS
Accountancy, Business and Management Strand
8

ABM Strand 1

Applied Economics

ABM Strand 2

Business Ethics and Social Responsibility

10 ABM Strand 3
11 ABM Strand 4

Fundamentals of Accountancy, Business and Management

1
Fundamentals of Accountancy, Business and Management
2

12 ABM Strand 5

Business Math

13 ABM Strand 6

Business Finance

14 ABM Strand 7

Organization and Management

15 ABM Strand 8

Principles of Marketing

16 ABM Strand 9

Work Immersion/Research/Career Advocacy/Culminating Activity

i.e. Business
Enterprise
Simulation
Each subject
will have
80 hours
per semester
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

WILL SHS ENSURE EMPLOYMENT

FOR ME?

SHS cannot guarantee employment; but it creates

the following opportunities:
Standard requirements will be applied to make sure
graduates know enough to be hirable.
You will now be able to apply for TESDA Certificates of
Competency (COCs) and National Certificates (NCs) to
provide you with better work opportunities.
Partnerships with different companies will be offered
for technical and vocational courses.
You can now get work experience while studying; and
companies can even hire you after you graduate.
Entrepreneurship courses will now be included.
Instead of being employed, you can choose to start
your own business after graduating, or choose to
further your education by going to college.

HOW WILL SHS AFFECT MY

COLLEGE EDUCATION?

SHS, as part of the K to 12 Basic

Curriculum, was developed in line with
the curriculum of the Commission of
Higher
Education
(CHED)

the
governing
body
for
college
and
university education in the Philippines.
This ensures that by the time you
graduate from Senior High School, you
will have the standard knowledge,
skills, and competencies needed to go
to college.

HOW WILL STUDENTS CHOOSE THEIR

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
SPECIALIZATIONS?

Students will undergo assessments to

determine their strengths and interests.
These will include an aptitude test, a
career
assessment
exam,
and
an
occupational interest inventory for high
schools. Career advocacy activities will
also be conducted to help guide
students in choosing their specialization
or track.

HOW WILL STUDENT

SPECIALIZATIONS/TRACKS BE
DISTRIBUTED ACROSS SENIOR
HIGH SCHOOLS?

Specializations or tracks to be offered

will be distributed according to the
resources available in the area, the
needs and interests of most students,
and the opportunities and demands of
the community

WHERE WILL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

BE IMPLEMENTED? WILL MY
SCHOOL OFFER SHS?

Existing public and private schools,

including colleges, universities and
technical institutions may offer Senior
High School.
There may also be stand-alone Senior
High Schools established by DepEd or
private organizations.

WILL SHS MODELING SCHOOLS THAT

IMPLEMENTED THE SHS PROGRAM IN
SY 2012-13 BE ALLOWED TO
IMPLEMENT THE SHS PROGRAM?

SHS MODELLING SCHOOLS LISTED

IN DEPED ORDER NO. 71, S. 2012
MAY
IMPLEMENT
THE
SHS
PROGRAM, BUT THEY MUST GO
THROUGH
THE
PROCESS
OF
APPLYING A PROVISIONAL SHS
PERMIT, AND MUST MEET THE
STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS
FOR
THE
SHS
PROGRAM.

IS SHS REALLY NECESSARY? MUST

I GO TO SHS?

Yes, according to the law.

Beginning SY 2016-2017, you must
go through Grades 11 and 12 to
graduate from High School.

IF I CHOOSE NOT TO GO TO SHS,

WHAT HAPPENS TO ME?

You will be a Grade 10 completer, but

not a high school graduate. Elementary
graduates are those who finish Grade 6;
high school graduates must have
finished Grade 12.

WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE

ABOUT SHS?

You can find out more at the

K to 12 page. You can also ask your
school administration (public or
private) to contact the DepEd division
office to help organize an orientation
seminar

WHAT IS THE VOUCHER PROGRAM?

This program enables Grade 10

completers from public and private Junior
High Schools (JHS) to enroll in a 1) private
high school, 2) private university or
college, 3) state or local university or
college, or 4) technical-vocational school,
which will offer the Senior High School
program starting School Year 2016-2017.
Through the Voucher Program, students
and their families are able to exercise
greater choice in deciding the Senior High
School program that is most relevant to
their needs and career goals. A certain
amount will be subsidized by DepEd to
private SHS to offset the cost of tuition.

WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THE

VOUCHER PROGRAM? CAN I
APPLY?

All JHS completers from public junior high

schools are qualified to receive the full
voucher values.
Private junior high school completers who
are on Education Service Contracting (ESC)
grants will receive 80% of the full voucher
value.
JHS completers from private schools and
non-DepEd schools can also apply for
vouchers worth 80% of the full voucher
value.
Students will be notified of their eligibility
prior to completing Grade 10. No monetary
value is given to the student directly instead
the subsidy is remitted to the Senior High
School where he/she will enroll.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF THE

VOUCHER PROGRAM?

For Students
The voucher program can provide highquality education for all types of
students. Even those who normally do
not have the financial means will be able
to choose from different schools. They
will not be limited to the schools that are
provided by the DepEd.
For Private Schools
Private schools with SHS will be able to
tap into an expanded market -students
from public junior high schools.

HOW MUCH IS THE VALUE OF THE

VOUCHER?

The actual amount of the vouchers will depend on the location

of the SHS where the student will enroll.
JHS completers who will enroll in a SHS located in the National
Capital Region (NCR) will receive a full voucher value of PhP
22,500.
JHS completers who will enroll in a SHS located in Non-NCR
Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs) will receive a full voucher value of
PhP 20,000. These cities include Angeles, Bacolod, Baguio,
Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu City, Davao City, General Santos,
Iligan, Iloilo City, Lapu-lapu, Lucena, Mandaue, Olongapo, Puerto
Princesa, Tacloban, and Zamboanga City.
JHS completers who will enroll in a SHS located in other cities
and municipalities will have a full voucher value of PhP 17,500.
The voucher must be used in the school year immediately
following the year of JHS completion. A voucher recipient may
only be able to avail of the voucher subsidy for two (2)
successive years.
Non-DepEd schools may charge tuitions that are higher than
the voucher subsidy amounts. Students and parents are
expected to cover the difference between the tuition fee
charged by the school and the voucher subsidy from
government.

SCHOOL APPLICATION FOR SHS

WHICH PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS ARE

ALLOWED TO OFFER SENIOR HIGH
SCHOOL?

All schools and organizations must first apply for a

permit from DepEd. Different institutions may also
partner with each other and apply for SHS as a
group.
Temporary permits will be issued by DepEd for those
who meet the requirements for the Senior High
School Program.
There are 334 private schools with SHS permits
beginning in SY 2014 or 2015. Last March 31, 2015,
provisional permits have been issued to 1,122 private
schools that will offer Senior High School in 2016.
If you are interested in applying for a Senior High
School permit, please visit DepEd
Memo No. 4, s. 2014

CAN A PRIVATE SCHOOL OFFER

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL BEFORE SY
2016-2017?

Private schools may offer Grade 11 as

early as SY 2015-2016 to interested
students. However, Senior High School
before SY 2016-2017 is voluntary for
both private schools and students, and
there will be no funding assistance from
the government to private Senior High
School before SY 2016-2017.

WHAT OTHER INFORMATION SHOULD

APPLICANTS REMEMBER IN APPLYING
FOR A SHS PERMIT?

All applications must only be submitted via

email tokto12@deped.gov.ph.
Applications must contain the requirements
detailed inDepEd Memo No. 4, s. 2014 .
Only applications with complete
documentary requirements will be
processed by the SHS-NTF on a first comefirst served basis. Submission of letters of
intent only will not be processed.
The proposed SHS Curriculum consistent
with the final SHS Curriculum issued by
DepEd must be submitted upon application.

WHO RECEIVES, EVALUATES AND

APPROVES THE APPLICATIONS FOR
PROVISIONAL SHS PERMITS? WHO
ISSUES THE PERMITS?

The SHS-National Task Force (SHS-NTF) will

receive applications from interested parties,
establish the process and criteria in evaluating
selected applicants, and evaluate the SHS
applications of non-DepEd schools.
Regional Offices will be deputized to conduct onsite validation for all applicants. The on-site
validation will focus on the provision of SHS
requirements for the proposed track/strand, and
will certify that a school exhibits the necessary
SHS requirements to implement the program.
The DepEd Secretary approves applications for
the SHS Program and issues provisional permits
to applicants upon the recommendation of the
Undersecretary for Programs and Projects.
The Regional Office releases the provisional
permit to the applicant.

TEACHERS

HOW WILL SHS AFFECT ME? WILL I

LOSE MY JOB?

No high school teachers will be displaced.

The Department of Education (DepEd) is in
constant coordination with CHED and DOLE on
the actual number of affected faculty from
private higher education institutions (HEIs).
The worst-case scenario is that 39,000 HEI
faculty will lose their jobs over 5 years. This
will only happen if none of the HEIs will put up
their own Senior High Schools, which is since
we are currently processing over 1,000 SHS
applications from private institutions.
DepEd is also hiring more than 30,000 new
teachers in 2016 alone. The Department will
prioritize affected faculty who will apply as
teachers or administrators in our SHS

WHY NOT JUST REALIGN THE K TO

12 BUDGET TO INCREASE
TEACHERS SALARIES?

There is no "K to 12" item in the national

budget per se. The ongoing implementation of
the K to 12 Program involves the provision of
basic inputs such as classrooms, teacher
items, textbooks, school seats, and toilets.
There are also items in the budget for
computerization of classrooms, science and
math equipment, and teacher training. K to 12
is a reform in the manner and content of
education; it is not a single project with a line
item budget.
There are also ongoing discussions taking
place regarding a raise in the salary of public
school teachers and all other government
employees .

I AM A GRADUATE OF A
SCIENCE/MATH/ENGINEERING/COURS
E. CAN I APPLY AS AN SHS TEACHER?

Yes. If you are willing to teach on a

part-time basis, you will not be required
to take and pass the Licensure
Examination for Teachers (LET).
If you want a permanent position, you
will need to take and pass the LET
within five (5) years after your date of
hiring to remain employed full-time.

I AM A HIRED TVI COURSE

GRADUATE/HEI
FACULTY/PRACTITIONER. CAN I
APPLY AS AN SHS TEACHER?

Graduates of technical-vocational courses

must have the necessary certification
issued by TESDA and undergo training to
be administered by DepEd or HEIs.
Faculty of colleges and universities must
be full-time professors and be holders of a
relevant Bachelors degree.
DepEd and private schools may also hire
practitioners
with
expertise
in
the
specialized learning areas offered by the
K to 12 Program as part-time teachers.
Faculty of TVIs and HEIs will be given
priority in hiring for the transition period
from September 2013 until SY 2021-2022

I AM A PRACTITIONER. CAN I APPLY

AS AN SHS TEACHER?

You may teach as part-time teacher in

Senior High School under the track
subjects.
We
encourage
you
to
consider this to share your valuable
knowledge and experience to our SHS
learners