SEAMEO INNOTECH TO LAUNCH PHILIPPINE BASIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM STUDY

Addressing the proposal of the Philippine Department of Education (DepEd) to extend the country’s basic education cycle, SEAMEO INNOTECH held an experts meeting on the country’s basic education curriculum last March 10. The meeting was conducted to gather the opinions and insights of twelve subject specialists and curriculum reviewers regarding the current basic education curriculum as well as the proposed K+12 curriculum. Through the presentation of reviews of core subjects and compulsory, elective, and additional subjects as well as sharing of insights and recommendations of SEAMEO INNOTECH fellows, the meeting was utilized as part of the data-gathering stage of the research study “Adequacy, Structure and Duration of Philippine Formal Primary and Secondary Education: Towards Defining Content of the Additional Two Years in Basic Education” currently being done by the Center. The study aims to explore viable recommendations with regards to the proposed K+12 cycle. The recommendations to be identified will be based on the curriculum’s comparability and equivalence in terms of curricular standards, desired competencies, and learning outcomes as compared to those of other countries. Also, the study will take into account similarities in the primary and secondary education structure as well as the special skills or elective courses offered to basic education students throughout the region.