The President dismissed the picketers at the PICC protesting the K-12 program by snickering that there were only 20 of them carrying five banners each; and so therefore deserve to be ignored.

       Perhaps the following numbers on the implementation of the K-12 program would appeal more to the President. Or perhaps the Supreme Court would deign to look at the numbers  and ask questions on the following:

      Next year, before his term ends, no one will graduate from high school or what is now called Grade 10. If students want a high school diploma, they will be legally forced to stay behind, if they can afford it, in their public high school or private high school,  if their school is offering Grades 11 to 12. If.  (at some point, some smart investigative reporter will find out exactly how many public high schools will actually offer Grades 11 to 12. Maybe the Supreme Court can ask the respondents).

    According to representatives of teachers’ organizations, many if not most public high schools are not equipped/ will not offer Grades 11 to 12. Students will be forced to transfer or to drop out. Those who cannot afford to continue, or who cannot afford to transfer to the schools that offer Grades 11 to 12 (mainly private schools) will be forced to drop out.   It is important to get the actual numbers because we’re talking about FORCED dropouts in tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands through no fault on the part of the students.

          Here is the additional math problem, Mr. President:

     Next year, there would have to be a 25% increase in classrooms, chairs, restrooms, teachers, textbooks, white boards/ blackboards. chalk/markers, canteen facilities, janitors, security guards, etc.. 

    This does not yet include content or curriculum and the requirements to prepare for that shift.

     Why 25%  additional? This corresponds to the number of formerly fourth year high school and now Grade 10 students. They’re about one-fourth (in round numbers) of the high school population; they will not graduate, they’ll be forced to stay behind if their high school is offering the additional two years; if not, they have to transfer if they can afford it; if they cannot afford it, they will drop out. Can you imagine being forced to drop out through no fault of your own but due to the fact that your school is not equipped to provide the required Grades 11 to 12, or because you cannot afford to transfer to a school that offers Grades 11 to 12?

        Do the math, Mr. President, and see how many will be forced to be “street urchins”:  Get 25% of the total number of classrooms, chairs, restrooms, teachers, textbooks, white boards/ blackboards. chalk/markers, canteen facilities, janitors, being used AT PRESENT, or servicing all high school students AT PRESENT. That is part of the logistical requirement or only half of the logistical requirement because it’s only for Grade 11 (and these numbers do not yet include content or logistics for teacher-preparedness for the new curriculum). Use time and motion studies and see if you can set up the additional infrastructure, buildings, drainage, lighting facilities, etc. in 12 months nationwide.  

    According to press releases of the Department of Education, there’s no longer a shortage in classrooms this schoolyear and there is now a 1:1 ratio between students and chairs. At some point, an independent researcher or investigative reporter will give us an overview if this is true: DZMM made a random sampling today: at the Corazon Aquino High School, the administrators put dividers in the middle of classrooms servicing 45 students to fit two classes in each classroom to service double the number, or 90 students. In other words, in that school, there was no shortage of classrooms because they will squeeze in 90 students in one classroom. O, di ba? No shortage.

    This needs to be examined nationwide — the shortage is probably worse in the rural areas.

     For Grade 12 in 2017, you need the same additional infrastructure — another 25% of the total classrooms, chairs, restrooms, teachers, textbooks, white boards/ blackboards. chalk/markers, canteen facilities, janitors, security guards.

     25% additional for the new Grade 11 and 25% additional for the new Grade 12: In other words, to be logistically prepared for K-12, or for the additional Grades 11 to 12, the high school system needs an INCREASE OF 50% of the classrooms, chairs, restrooms, teachers, textbooks, white boards/ blackboards. chalk/markers, canteen facilities, janitors, security guards, for the next 12-24 months.

     Failing which, tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands will be forced to drop out through no fault of their own.

 [These numbers do not yet include content, or the logistical requirement to equip teachers for the new curriculum: Specialization in the following tracks: Curriculum A: Academic; Curriculum B: Technical-Vocational-Livelihood; and Curriculum C: Sports and Arts.  Curriculum A:The Academic track  includes three strands: Business, Accountancy, Management (BAM); Humanities, Education, Social Sciences (HESS); and Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM). This is from the Official Gazette, which did not include the curriculum for the Technical-Vocational track and the Sports and Arts track].

      This week, the President scoffed at the 20 or so picketers protesting the K-12 program. In 2016, a few weeks before his term ends, the President rides into the sunset as he leaves a legacy of tens of thousands of high school dropouts — This po is the applicable multiplication table for the problem,  Mr. President.