ENSURING EMPLOYABILITY OF K-12 GRADUATES

MAY M. MANIO

The Department of Education underscored the significance of getting input from the business community to ensure the employability of Kinder to Grade 12 (K-12) graduates. Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte stressed the importance of knowing the sector’s demands while the review of Grades 11 and 12 curriculum is underway. She said it’s important for the market, the business community to identify what skills they want to see from graduates. The Education Chief added that graduates may be hired once this strategy has been implemented. She said the intent and vision of K-12 program is that after they finish basic education, they can go straight to work or they are employable. The Secretary, meanwhile, said the pilot of the revised SHS curriculum will start in School Year 20252026. The DepEd earlier vowed to review the K-12 curriculum to decongest it and resolve misplaced learning competencies from Kinder to Grade 10 as well as address concerns of jobs or skills mismatch for Grades 11 and 12. For K-10, the DepEd launched the MATATAG curriculum or the "Make the curriculum relevant to produce job-ready, Active and responsible citizens; TAke steps to accelerate the delivery of basic education services and provision facilities; TAke good care of learners by promoting learner well-being, inclusiveness learning, and positive learning environment; and, Give support for teachers to teach better" curriculum in 35 schools in seven regions nationwide in September last year.

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III at Pampang Elementary School

author is Teacher