DUBAI: While K-12 graduates are equipped with middle-level skills, lifelong learnings as well as employment and entrepreneurship, they should pursue college education to have them better equipped, according to UAE mentors.
This according to principals of three major schools in the UAE with a Filipino population, who said K-12 graduates may opt to look for jobs but still their chances of success could be better off with a college degree.
“The K-12 Curriculum provides a wide array of opportunities for students to be employed right after graduation. On the other hand, most of our students are aiming to pursue their education in the tertiary level and earn a college degree before entering the world of work,” said . Pevwarti L. Sursigis, OICF-principal at Far Eastern Private School.
For her part, Marivic Tagle-Santos, assistant principal for high school (Grades 7 to 12) at United International Private School (UIPS) said they are “optimistic that our students are already ready for employment based on their performance grades in their Work Immersion from a highly-recommended center/company and also based from their skills qualification.”
She added, “As for getting a degree, we also believe that this will fully help our graduates to increase their knowledge or pursue further interest and scholastic achievement.”
UIPS recently graduated 49 Filipino K-12 students.
“I would really recommend that K-12 graduates pursue higher education to better help their parents when they graduated college,” said Rosemarie T. Natividad, principal at Philippine Emirates Private School (PEPS).
She added, “The aim of the K-12 program is to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education.”
This, she said, is why PEPS offers the Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) and Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM) Strands under the Academic Track to prepare students to proceed higher education.
“We did a survey to parents and students. Majority wanted to proceed to higher education,” she said.
The Philippines has just recently graduated its first batch of K-12 students, raising the question whether their education would suffice for them to get jobs and be successful.
“They still need to proceed to tertiary level as this is an edge to get a better employment since the higher education, the better opportunity you get. The K to 12 program graduates must venture further into college to immediately be able to join the workforce,” Nartividad said.
Agreed Surgigis: “The move to make the Philippine educational system at par with the international standard by introducing the K-12 is indeed commendable. While it is true that most of the senior high school graduates will be around 18 years old by the time they graduate; it is still a challenge for them to compete in finding a job alongside the new college graduates in the intensely competitive job market.”
