Students from the Central Philippine University and members of the Ilonggos Against K + 12 have mobilized a drive against the passage of Senate Bill 3286 otherwise known as Enhanced Basic Education Program (K+12) that aims to increase the number of years in basic education.

Kabataan Partylist representative Raymond Palatino, during a forum on K+12 at Central Philippine University Friday said that due to the holiday break, deliberation on the said bill was postponed next year.

He urged parents, students and schools in Western Visayas, given enough time, to protest the bill by participating in a signature campaign which will be presented to President Benigno Aquino III.

The group declared that K+12 is an added burden to parents, it aims to create a cheap and contractual labor force designed to serve a Labor Export Policy and it does not solve, but rather, worsens the Philippine’s education crisis.

Irma Espinosa, a parent and president of the Parents Teachers Association of Zarraga Elementary School said, “Two years would mean an additional budget for allowance, food, uniform and school supplies.”

She spends P28,000 for her two grade schoolers every year from her annual income of only P100,000.

Francisco Golez, teacher of Sambag Elementary School, said the bill is also a burden for educators.

He said the average number of students in a classroom is 35 to 40, but there are some that have 60 to 100 students together, which is not conducive for learning.

So, the extra years in school will just go to waste if the students could not understand their lessons due to their large number in class, he said.

Dr. Teodoro Robles, president CPU, also opposes the bill.

He said, with CPU as a private institution, K+12 will affect the number of their enrolees because some parents may no longer afford their children’s additional school expenses.

He added that skills development should be the responsibility of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).

Even without K+12, students can still undergo a skills training under Tesda if they want, Robles said.

“There is a need to improve education first before K+12,” he stressed.*