FACT CHECK: Revised K-10 curriculum is part of K to 12 program

Claim: The Department of Education (DepEd) recently launched K-10 to replace the K to 12 program.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The claim can be found in a video uploaded on August 11 by a YouTube channel with 739,000 subscribers. The video itself currently has 4,900 views, 203 likes, and 33 comments. 

The video is titled: “Matapos ang PAGPAPAHIRAP sa mga PILIPINO| K12 ni PNOY NAIBASURA NA | VP SARA INILUNSAD NA ang K10!”

(After burdening Filipinos | K12 by PNoy has been scrapped. VP Sara has launched K to 10!)

The video shows clips of the nationwide launch of the ‘Matatag’ K-10 curriculum last August 10 and features excerpts of the speech by Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte. 

The bottom line: The K to 12 program has neither been abolished nor replaced by K-10. DepEd has launched a revised version of the kindergarten to Grade 10 curriculum, which is still part of the K to 12 program. The education department’s video of the launch even refers to the updated curriculum as “K to 10 Curriculum of the K to 12 Program.”

Decongested curriculum: According to DepEd curriculum director Jocelyn Andaya, the current curriculum has been decongested by 70%. 

Duterte said that reducing the number of subjects and narrowing the focus of both teachers and students would help improve student learning outcomes. (New K-10 curriculum in the Philippines: What you need to know)

The Matatag curriculum “decongests” subjects to allow students to focus on foundational skills. Previously, the K-10 curriculum focused on Filipino, English, Mathematics, Araling Panlipunan (social studies), Mapeh (music, arts, physical education, and health), and Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (humanities).

The revised curriculum will focus on five areas: Language, Reading and Literacy, Mathematics, Makabansa (nationalism), Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC).

The new curriculum will be implemented in phases starting in the 2024-2025 school year.

Senior high curriculum: During the launch of the revised K-10 curriculum, Duterte said that the curriculum for the senior high program (Grades 11 and 12) is currently being reviewed. It will be unveiled sometime in 2024. 

The Matatag curriculum aims to create students who are employable and globally competitive by the time they graduate from the 12th grade.

Previous fact checks of K to 12 abolition claims: Rappler has fact-checked claims that the K to 12 program has been abolished:

• FACT CHECK: ‘Di sinabi sa education report 2023 na tutuldukan na ang K-12 program
• FACT CHECK: No law passed abolishing K-12 program
• FACT CHECK: Sara Duterte didn’t say K-12 was abolished in DepEd’s 2023 report
• FACT CHECK: Arroyo did not say the K to 12 program will be abolished

 – Katarina Ruflo/Rappler.com

Katarina Ruflo is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

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