TRANSITIONING COLLEGE FACULTY TO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL: A PHILIPPINE UNIVERSITY PERSPECTIVE

With the signing of the Philippine Enhanced Basic Education Act also known as the K-12 Act, two extra years will officially be added to the Philippines’ 10-year basic education curriculum. The addition of grades 11 and 12 shall thrust private HEIs like the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta (UPHSD) into a transitional upheaval including possible loss or transfer of teaching personnel according to the demands of the K-12 roll out. Given this educational mandate, this quantitative study aimed to give UPHSD administration an evidence-based depiction of the current perceptions of UPHSD’s College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) faculty as an aid to developing a workable intervention plan in support of the former’s inevitable transition.

Findings reveal that, with the exception of a few who are slightly unaware of changes in possible salary rate, required reporting hours, and the probable limitations in academic freedom, UPHSD’s CAS faculty members are aware of the issues surrounding the implementation of the Department of Education’s K-12 program. In addition, notwithstanding possible changes in salary and longer reporting hours, majority are willing to accept the assignment should they be asked to move to Senior High School.

Intervention measures, which are regarded as priority among the faculty include attending a series of re-tooling seminars, team teaching with high school teachers, and attending a K-12 awareness seminar to ease the transition, especially for those who will likely be affected by the change.