TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — Leyte Gov. Carlos Jericho L. Petilla has included in his visits to various barangays in the province meetings and consultations with local teachers to get their views and opinions regarding the Department of Education (DepEd)’s proposed K+12 Program.

It was learned that DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro had requested Petilla to help the department rally the program in Congress. The K+12 will add two more years of school to the current 10-year program.

Petilla said his support for the K+12 Program is based on the fact provide students with skills that can effectively help in their landing jobs even without a college diploma, aside from its conforming with the current global standard of 12 years basic education.

“We already have skills programs introduced in identified high schools in Leyte, although the problem is when they graduate they cannot be hired yet as they are still below 18 years old,” Petilla said.

The governor was referring to the ICOT-P program, a landmark program of the provincial government with a purpose almost similar with the K+12. However with the additional two years to 10 years of schooling in K+12, the age of graduates for employment requirement would by then be met, Petilla acknowledged.

To implement the program, the DepEd has to work with Congress to amend the existing law, Batas Pambansa 232 or the Education Act of 1982, which prescribes a 10-year basic formal education program.