Parents, teachers and other stakeholders unite to stop K-12

Education stakeholders successfully held a massive protest against government's K-12 Program at Liwasang Bonifacio on Saturday.

The event dubbed as Suspend K-12 Family Day, organized by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV and the Suspend K to 12 Coalition, was attended by families of teaching and non-teaching personnel, students, and other stakeholders who are directly and indirectly affected by the program.

In a speech delivered by Trillanes, he reiterated his call to suspend the contentious program. "Tayo po ay nanawagan kay Pangulong Aquino at sa ating mga mahistrado sa Korte Suprema na pakinggan ang daing ng taumbayan na ipatigil muna ang pagpapatupad ng K-12 Program dahil sa delubyong idududlot nito."

"Tayo ay nag-ikot sa buong bansa upang tignan ang kahandaan ng ating mga paaralan. Ngunit ni isa ay wala akong nakitang handa para sa K-12 na ito. Patuloy na magsisiksikan ang mga estudyante; patuloy na tataas ang drop-out rate; ang mga propesor at empleyado sa kolehiyo ay mawawalan ng trabaho."

Also present to air their concern and support were Samahang Magdalo President Don Santiago, and representatives from private and public school teachers and professors, non-teaching personnel, parents, students, and labor groups. A ceremonial candle lighting was also done to signify participants' unity against the program.

As the full implementation of the K-12 Program nears, numbers of groups calling for its suspension continue to grow. Last Wednesday, Trillanes and the Magdalo Partylist filed with the Supreme Court a petition for TRO and/or preliminary injunction to stop or restrain the program's implementation.

"We hope that more of our countrymen will join us in our cause to suspend this program. We want to move forward and improve the quality of education in the country but we can never do that through additional two years in high school considering the situation on the ground. I hope that the President and the Supreme Court will realize this," Trillanes added.