Choosing the Best Senior Highschool Strand
The concept of Senior High School was foreign to most Filipinos a decade ago. However, with the introduction of the K to 12 Program of the Department of Education, the Senior High School was then implemented in the Philippines. This mainly comprises an additional two (2) years to the basic education of a student. The program earned praises and criticisms at the same time. But one thing is for sure, the K to 12 Program is here to stay and will form part of the new generation of Filipinos to come.
What is K-12?
The Philippines, being the only country who did not adopt a 12-year basic education in South East Asia, decided to increase its curriculum with two more years last 2013. The program aims to make Filipinos more competitive by equipping them with more concrete skills and competitive in the global market.
These skills are acquired through specialization depending upon which track or strand the child is enrolled to. The Department of Education believes that having a senior high school will provide more competencies whether the child will pursue higher education (college), employment, entrepreneurship, or skills development.
The Senior Highschool Curriculum
There are seven (7) Learning Areas under the Core Curriculum. These are the Languages, Literature, Communication, Mathematics, Philosophy, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences. The K to 12 Curriculum still has some similarities with the old one. However, what the Department of Education argues is that these subjects will be taught in a more advanced manner compared to the former curriculum.
These subjects are necessary for a senior high school student to graduate. But that is not what makes senior high schools a class of its own. Aside from those subjects, the students can choose their own tracks or strands. These tracks are responsible for molding the student. The program offers three special tracks namely the Sports and Arts, Technical-Vocational-Livelihood, and Academics.
SPORTS AND ARTS TRACK
The Arts and Design Track helps creative and artistic people not only to hone and improve their talents but also to present their works in a professional and holistic level. The strand is designed to also provide awareness on the different art styles and technique ranging from painting, sculpture, theater, music, script writing, and digital design that is usually a big hit in the marketing and advertising sector.
On the other hand, the sports track provides basic principles and techniques to a student before introducing to a broader and complex regimen of athletics and health. This track does not accommodate future athletes alone but also sports enthusiasts and health advocates.
It provides subjects that give more insight into sports and its rules, proper physical training, and coaching and team management skills. Taking this track will land help the student land a career in fitness and health-related occupations like fitness trainers or in a sports-related job like a referee, coach, team manager or the star athlete itself!
TECHNICAL-VOCATIONAL-LIVELIHOOD TRACK
The student can opt for a TVL track. After graduating, the student can obtain a National Certificate Level II (NC II) as long as he or she passed the assessment by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. Having an NC II not only increases employability in the country but it is generally accepted globally.
ACADEMIC TRACK
When a student takes an academic track, it is assumed that he or she will be taking up higher education or college. The Academic track also provides four strands alone ranging from Business, Humanities, and Science. Each strand alone provides a specialization that would make the student more competitive and adjusted once he or she enters college.
The following are the strands for the Academic Track:
BUSINESS, ACCOUNTANCY, MANAGEMENT (BAM) STRAND
The BAM strand itself inculcates the student to be adept in proper business acumens, the basics of business and financial management, adjustment to a corporate environment or entrepreneurship
HUMANITIES, EDUCATION, SOCIAL SCIENCES (HESS) STRAND
The HESS strand is a great way for the future journalist, teacher, psychologist, economist, politician, or historian to start with a bang. It allows the student to focus more on humanistic ideals which the world always need.
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) STRAND
The STEM strand is a good starting point for the student who sees themselves as engineers, IT professionals, scientists, doctors, architects, statisticians, mathematicians, and medical researchers.
GENERAL ACADEMIC STRAND (GAS) STRAND
The GAS strand is full of potential. Through electives, the student can choose which specialization he or she will take ranging from the three strands given earlier. This is a good way for the student to discover his or her potential or talents. There are 327, 081 students enrolled last September 2016 in GAS, the highest among the strand.
WHAT’S THE BEST STRAND?
There is a reason for General Academic Strand to be the highest enrolled course due to its flexibility. Hence, if you want to allow your child to discover the track he wants for himself, you might also allow him to try GAS.
Learning Links promotes multiple intelligence learning where the child’s inner interests and capabilities are focused on. The latent potential within the child can be unlocked once he or she tried a subject of interest and once found, is supported through specialized learning.
At a very young age, you might have already observed your child’s passion and his capacity to learn. All that’s left is nurturing that passion and helping them become the best they can be.
