Teachers, students file petition vs. K-to-12 program

Johnny D. Guevarra / PNA photo

MANILA — A coalition of teachers and students filed on Thursday a petition before the Supreme Court (SC) seeking to suspend the implementation of the “K to 12” Program in the education sector.

The petitioners are the Coalition for the Suspension of K to 12, Suspend K to 12 Alliance, and the Council of Teachers and Staff of Universities and Colleges in the Philippines (COTESCUP).

In their petition for certiorari, they named as respondents in the case the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

The petitioners also asked the SC to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop the implementation of Republic Act No. 10533, or the “Enhanced Basic Education Act” as well as the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the law.

The “transition period” of the “K to 12” program will commence in 2016.

The petitioners argued that the said program will bring about the loss of jobs for some 80,000 teachers and non-teaching personnel in various colleges and universities nationwide.

They added that the country is not ready in the implementation of the “12-year basic education cycle” as mandated by the “K to 12” program because of the lack of sufficient number of class rooms, text books and other facilities.