K-12 job-ready promise failed, Romulo admits

Senior high school graduates under the K-12 program failed to land jobs as originally promised, House Committee on Basic Education Chairman Roman Romulo of Pasig City said Saturday.

Romulo made the remarks as Congress moves to recalibrate the landmark education reform based on findings and recommendations of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2).

“Ang commitment sa atin noong panahon na ‘yan, pag natapos ka ng Grade 12, job-ready, college-ready ka na. Kayo rin makakasagot na hindi naman nangyari yan,” Romulo said at a Saturday Media Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City.

Romulo was reacting to EDCOM 2 findings as lawmakers weigh reforms to the K-12 system rather than its outright repeal, amid mounting evidence that senior high school graduates remain ill-prepared for employment straight out of Grade 12.

He pointed to the structure of senior high school tracks as a major factor undermining the promise of job readiness.

“Yung job readiness, kasi apat ‘yung track eh: academic, tech-voc, arts and music, and sports. Sa totoo po, sa sports wala pang 1% naka-enroll doon. Sa arts ata mga 1-2%. Sa tech-voc, mga 30-36% ang naka-enroll diyan… mga 50-52% more or less diyan ang sa academic,” Romulo said.

He said the distribution meant that only a fraction of students were positioned to benefit from the job-ready pledge, and even those in the technical-vocational track faced structural gaps between schooling and real employability.

“Kung sa tech-voc track na ‘yan, ang magiging job-ready, diyan dapat nagtutulungan ang Technical Education and Skills Development Authority at Department of Education,” Romulo said.

He identified certification as the critical missing link.

“Ano ang binibigay natin ang national certificate pag natapos na karamihan sa Grade 12? ‘Di ba NC2 lang? National Certificate 2,” he said.

“So if you’re NC2 ka, may skill ka, pero hindi ka pwedeng mag-isa. So hindi ka job-ready,” Romulo added.

He said that even senior high school graduates under the tech-voc track often leave with insufficient certification levels.

“May skills ka pero hindi ka pwedeng mag-isa, yan ang conclusion, hindi ka job-ready,” he said.

Romulo said this reality is driving EDCOM 2 and education stakeholders to push for higher certification outcomes earlier in the education cycle.

“That is why sinasabi namin sa EDCOM at ginagawa na ngayon, doon na tayo NC3 up to the diploma courses … Kung kailangan natin i-step back, umpisa tayo earlier than 11-12, gawin natin,” he said.

“Ang importante, pag tapos ng Grade 12, NC3 o diploma makuha niya, employable siya kasi on his or her own,” Romulo added.