I am Pro-EFA 2015

7th Reflection Paper for the EDAD 207 Class of Dr. Alonsabe

Education For All (EFA) was anchored on the 1987 Philippine Constitution which provides that education should be made available to all Filipinos regardless of their age, creed, abilities, social and economic status. Hence, the target of the Department of Education is by the year 2015. Educationally challenged individuals are those who: (1) are not fully functionally literate, (2) unable to communicate in English, and (3) those who get very limited resources in communicating using the Filipino language. It was EFA 2015 that propelled the Philippine government to implement the K+12 education system – universal pre-school, 6 years of elementary, 4 years of junior high school and 2 years of senior high school. EFA 2015 (DepEd 2004 Plan of Action) further clarified that the curriculum should be modified if it doesn’t seem relevant to the needs of the kind of pupils in the locality.

I now understand why the Philippine government, under the headship of Pres. Aquino Jr., really pushed for the implementation of the K+12 education system effective this school year (2011-2012). The EFA 2015 plan of action by the Department of Education taught me the value of education that is worth to be enjoyed by every Filipino citizen. It also reminds me about the significance of indigenizing the curriculum which implicates that I may do the following: (1) organize the subject fields to make them relevant to the pupils’ culture, (2) adopt content and learning models, including indigenous learning systems from the community and (3) invite the natives/local people (the learner, parents, laymen, local specialist and local leaders) to participate in designing and implementing the curriculum.

In response to the commendable plan of action by the DepEd (2004), I will follow its provisions and implement the said curriculum to the best of my abilities. I will use the materials available within my locality as learning tools for my pupils to better understand our lessons. I will also adhere to the Art XIV. Sec. 6 and 7 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution which provides for the ‘bilingual policy’ as the medium for communication and instruction. I am convinced that it is an effective strategy for the kinds of learners I have at my present school station. I will accommodate all learners regardless of their identity. Thus, I will work hard to make my learners feel valued and taken cared of in the school as if it is an extension of their homes.