With the onset of K to 12, a major transformation in our country’s educational landscape is about to happen in 2016. And the crucial question is: Are we ready? In review In the light of K to 12 system, students can already forego going to college after finishing two more years in Senior High as technical and vocational skills will already be taught to students to help them land a job or engage in entrepreneurial endeavours after graduating high school. However several issues arose as to courses to be offered in higher educational institutions and the number of students they will acquire during the initial implementation of the Senior High Program. What has STC done so far? As of press time, administrators, school heads and faculty of memberschools of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) are already discussing the impact of K to 12 in tertiary education. As a response, Dr. Randy M. Baja, Director of Academics, unrolled the department’s immediate and ongoing preparations impacting on budget, infrastructures, curriculum, programs, quality assurance assessments, reviews of GE program and faculty loading. “I believe that we are ready to address the critical issues because we have plans for its supposed outcome,†started Dr. Baja. Just this summer, teacher trainers have been sent to seminars for training and orientation on the new curriculum. College faculty have also started the module preparations for the curriculum to be aligned with the demands posted by K to 12. “We embark on a major change in our teaching pedagogy, approaches, and revision of our own modules,†commented Mrs. Rowena S. Carmona, College Professor. In terms of physical facilities, the need for more classrooms, chairs, laboratories and buildings are one of the priorities in the master plan presented to the faculty and are now being realized through renovations and constructions. In a nutshell Now, discussions and consultations on the impact of these changes trickle down various colleges, institutes and schools. Specifically, STC have formed steering committee in charge of a master plan that will address emerging needs on social formation that are suited according to the new face of the tertiary level once the K to 12 will have come full circle. “We are committed to take an active engagement in educational reform as codified in our visionmission,†Dr. Baja ended.
