By Danny O. Calleja
LEGAZPI CITY, March 17 (PNA) – Over 1,250 schools in Bicol are already set to implement the K + 12 program next year, amid the legal challenge the program is facing before the Supreme Court (SC), according to the regional office here of the Department of Education (DepEd).
DepEd Regional Director Ramon Abcede on Tuesday said this early, 1,251 schools in the region were already and standing by for the senior high school (SHS) program under the K + 12 curricula considering that the education department was steadfast in pushing for full implementation of the program.
SHS is the additional two years in high school curriculum designed for the specialization of students, depending on the occupation or career track they wish to pursue with the intention of providing them time to consolidate acquired academic skills and competencies in preparation to college.
Evaluations conducted by the DepEd on these schools, mostly big ones in Bicol cities and provinces which signified their readiness for the program, revealed that they had already set basic facilities to meet the requirements of the program, he said.
“We are expecting more schools in the region to qualify in addition to this latest number as we constantly update the list based on the continuing evaluation and expressions of intent to take part in the program by next year from other existing educational institutions in the region,” Abcede said.
He said that the SHS program would offer four components or tracks—academic, technical/ vocational and livelihood (TVL), arts and design, and sports wherein the track on academic would cover four strands– Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM); Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS); Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and; General Academic (GA).
Among the 1,251 schools, which have expressed their readiness for the SHS program and evaluated as qualified based on facilities put in place, are 381 in Camarines Sur including 10 in Naga City; 261 in Albay with 10 here and nine in Tabaco City; 144 in Sorsogon; Masbate, 130 and; 108 each in Catanduanes and Camarines Norte.
In this city, the schools are: Informatics Computer Institute; Divine Word College of Legazpi; St. Raphael Academy; Aquinas University of Legazpi; Southern Luzon Technological College Foundation, Inc.; Genecom Institute of Science and Technology, Inc.; Computer Communication Development Institute; St. Agnes Academy; Datamex Institute of Computer Technology and; Mariners’ Polytechnic Colleges—all private institutions.
In Tabaco City, the schools which just did the same are all privately-owned and these are Daniel B. Peña Memorial College Foundation, Informatics Computer Institute; Tabaco College; Computer Communication Development Institute; Polytechnic Institute of Tabaco; Dr. Carlos S. Lanting College; MTC Academy-Albay; Amando Cope College; St. Louise de Marillac School of Tabaco and; Carolyna Institute of Technology, Inc.
In Naga City, the schools, nine of them private, are– Ateneo De Naga University; Naga College Foundation; University of Nueva Caceres; St. Joseph School; WRI Colleges; Universidad de Santa Isabel; Naga Hope Christian School; Mariners Polytechnic College; Philippine Computer Foundation College, Inc. and; Naga City Montessori School, and only one public–the Concepcion Pequeña National High School.
In Albay, the schools distributed in several municipalities are St. Benedict’s Academy, St. Michael Academy, PLT College and Republic Colleges in Guinobatan; Rapu-Rapu Community College; Oas Community College; Virgin of Carmel High School, Tiwi; Libon Community College; Zamora Memorial College, Bacacay; Bicol College, Mary’s Child Science-Oriented School, Immaculate Conception High School and Sunshine International School in Daraga; St. Peter’s Academy, Polangui; Dominican School of Camalig.
In Camarines Sur towns, among the schools identified for SHS offering are Pasacao Academy, Inc.,Colegio De Santa Rita Foundation, Inc. in Del Gallego; Mataas na Paaralan ng Pagatpatan and Holy Trinity College, Bato; St. John The Baptist Institute of Bicol, Inc., St. Paul Academy, Partido State University and Partido College, Goa;, WRI Colleges, Iriga City;, Siena College,Tigaon; King Thomas Learning Academy, Inc., Sipocot; Bicol Central Academy, Libmanan and; Camarines Science Oriented High School, Pili.
In Sorsogon, the schools are Computer Learning Center, Aemilianum College, Inc., St. Louise de Marillac College of Sorsogon, Villanueva Gabao Institute, Inc., AMA Computer Learning Center and The Lewis College all in Sorsogon City; Estenias Science Foundation School, Inc., Casiguran; Data Base Technology Computer School, Gubat; Veritas College of Irosin,and; Dominican School of Pilar.
In Masbate are Osmeña Colleges, Burias College, Inc., St. Anthony High School Seminary, Liceo de Baleno, Liceo de San Jose, Immaculate Conception Academy, Liceo de Masbate, Liceo de San Jacinto Foundation and Southern Masbate Roosevelt College.
More are to be added to this list later as the DepEd is yet to evaluate more applicants for qualification even as some sectors are questioning before the SC the validity of Republic Act 10533 that mandates the implementation of the K to 12 program,
These groups claim that the program will displace thousands of college teachers and non-teaching personnel from their jobs due to the expected reduction in college enrolment.
But the DepEd is doing its best to address the concerns of those who might be affected by the program, Abcede said.
The K +12 begins with kindergarten, six years of elementary education, four years of junior high school, and two years in SHS.
It will be implemented in all public elementary and high schools nationwide starting this coming school year. (PNA)