Philippine Schools Overseas Welcome K+12

...PSOs – a wise diaspora investment in our children's common future...

The Aquino administration's education reform initiative – the K+12 Basic Education Program – was the subject of the teacher-training workshop for the Philippine Schools Overseas (PSO) last May 5-7, 2011.

Organized by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) and the Department of Education, it was attended by 51 representatives from 21 PSOs in China, East Timor, Greece, Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

Philippine Schools Overseas are private institutions that have been established in the last twenty years to address the educational needs of children of Overseas Filipinos. There are currently 41 PSOs, most of which are located in the Middle East. In Saudi Arabia alone, where an estimated 1.1 million OFWs are based, 22 schools are operational. They have adopted the basic education curriculum prescribed by the DeEd to facilitate the re-integration of their students into the Philippine educational system upon their return. Over the years, these PSOs have also attracted enrollees from other nationality groups in their respective host countries. Graduates of PSOs have been accepted into colleges and universities in the Philippines and other foreign countries.

To produce globally competitive graduates, PSOs recognize the importance of adopting the K+12 program at the soonest time possible. According to DepEd sources, the Philippines is the only country in Asia that has not yet adjusted its curriculum.

A key ingredient for a successful implementation is the re-orientation of administrators and faculty alongside the preparation of teaching materials for the new curriculum. To anticipate the demand for additional faculty, the PSOs called for the simultaneous priming of the current crop of education students who can effectively handle the delivery of the K+12 program in both private and public schools. In addition, the importance of including parent education as part of the government's reform initiative was further stressed.

The 3-day intensive orientation-training on the K+12 was attended by administrators and various grade-level teachers, even as the primary focus was on the enhanced Kindergarten framework which the DepEd is slated to pilot in the public schools this coming school year. Resource persons included Fenny Bautista, PhD and Marissa Pascual, Executive Director and Trainer of the Community of Learners Foundation (COLF); Teresita Inciong, PhD, Executive Director of the Early Childhood Care and Development Council; Director Angelita Esdicul, OIC of the DepEd Bureau of Elementary Education; and Ms. Simeona Ebol, Chief of the DepEd Curriculum Development Division.

Ms. May de Vera, Kindergarten faculty of the International Philippine School in Al-Khobar, demonstrated the application of kindergarten teaching strategies. The PSO participants also visited a model kindergarten in a Quezon City pubiic school, the Holy Spirit Elementary School, a donation of the Aklat, Gabay. Aruga Tungo sa Pag-angat at Pag-asa (AGAPP) Foundation in cooperation with the COLF. All participants received a DepEd CD featuring a forty-week kindergarten curriculum guide.

     (Seated left to right) Ms. Marissa J. Pascual of the Community of Learners Foundation,
Ms. Simeona T. Ebol, Chief DepEd Curriculum Development Division, KSA Education Attaché Estrella A. Babano,
CFO Executive Director Mary Grace Ampil-Tirona, and DepEd BEE OIC Director Angelita M. Esdicul.

                CFO and DepEd Officials with the participants of the Orientation-Training
                                              on the K+12 Basic Education Program.

Fenny de los Angeles Bautista, PhD Community of Learners Foundation Executive Director,
                        talks on the Kindergarten framework and standards.

                      Ms. May de Vera of the International Philippine School in Al-Khobar
                            conducts a Kindergarten session and mimics animal sounds.

       Ocular visit to the Holy Spirit Elementary School, a model Kindergarten public school.

                            Awarding of Certificates of Participation to the attendees.