21st CENTURY SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

PROGRAM EXIT POINTS

Dr. Suzette S. Belandres

Abstract:

The purpose of the study was to determine the extent of 21st Century skills development among Senior High
students. Identified skills were used as a descriptor/indicator showing the Department of Education is on the right
track in preparing the student towards a successful future. Themes were identified to shed light on: 1. Program for
Skill Development, 2. Instructional Framework for 21st Century Learning, 3. Skills Introduction and Integration
within Curriculum, 4. Program Integration Assessment Findings reveal the significant difference in the extent of
skills development of the participants when grouped according to age and none according to sex and track.
Significant correlation was revealed between the participant’s extent of skills development and the program exit
points of participants. Frequency, percentage, weighted mean, T-test and Chi-square were used to measure the
variables. Further, the majority of the senior high school graduating students were geared towards pursuing their
studies to higher education (Colegio). Thus, the findings of the study served as the basis for the researcher to
improve, update or enhance the curricula of the senior high school program to make this more responsive to the
needs of the fast changing world. Further, it is recommended that the Senior High School Curriculum be revisited
and identify the extent to which the 21st Century Skills are integrated in the subjects taught.

Keywords: K-12 Enhanced BEC, 21st Century Skills, Exit points

Introduction:

Nature of the Problem

Section 4 of the Republic Act No. 10533, also known as the “Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013”, encompasses
at least one (1) year of kindergarten education, six (6) years of elementary basic education, six (6) years of
secondary basic education. Meanwhile, from the original 4 years of Secondary (4) years of junior high school two
(2) years of senior high school are added. Students of the new system will graduate at the age of 18 and will be
ready for employment, entrepreneurship, middle-level skills development, and higher education upon graduation.

A career decision is very important for a senior high school graduating student to take although doing it is a lifelong
process (Georgia Career Information Center, 2013). It is a continuous process throughout the development of a
person. Prior to the implementation of the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum program, problems and challenges
were already identified by the Department of Education based on their studies. Among those, the Philippines is the
last country in Asia and one of only three countries in the world (the other two being Djibouti and Angola of Africa)
with a ten-year pre-university program. In addition, poor quality of basic education was reflected in the inadequate
preparation of high school graduates for the world of work which contributes to the relatively high unemployment
rate among the young and the educated (Care & Valenzuela, 2012). The demands for careers of the 21st century
consisted of 73% of the fastest-growing occupations that required some form of postsecondary education or
training (Dohm & Shniper, 2007). Once students have undergone this, they become 2 college-prepared and more
so for postsecondary education and the workforce (Cline, Bissell, Hafner & Katz, 2007) and finally be ready to
participate in the social and political aspects of citizenship (Dougherty, Mellor & Smith, 2006) than are students
who are not college-prepared.

As the batches of the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum program graduates are increasing, many senior high
school students are hesitant and worried if they will be able to land a job, establish a business on his/her own,
proceed to college, or take the higher vocational course. This is because of the demands for adaptable, highly
skilled, and knowledgeable personnel to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing economy and society in today’s
workforce (Fleming, 2013). Moreover, enduring understandings, skills, and long-term transfer goals to prepare
students for ongoing post-secondary learning and adaptability to meet the demands of today’s workforce must be
focused on schools. Anent to this, Secondary education institutions have focused their efforts on skills development
and students’ understandings for college and career readiness. Thus, K to 12 graduates must be equipped with the
following 21st century skills: (1) information, media, and technology skills; (2) learning and innovation skills; (3)
communication skills; and (4) life and career skills (DepEd Order 21, s. 2019, par. 18).

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Since its Senior High School implementation in 2014, Murcia National High School has produced two batches of
Senior High School Graduates. No knowledge of research has been identified that determined the extent of 21st
Century skills development among Senior High Schools in the Division, Region or National level. It was in this
regard that the researcher conducted the study to get a glimpse on how secondary senior high schools implement
programs and curriculum activities.

Current State of Knowledge

The implementation of the K to 12 Basic Education Program is considered to be one of the most significant reforms
in the country. It seeks to provide the Filipino learners with the necessary skills and competence to prepare them
to take on the challenges of the 21 century with regards to development (DepEd Order #21 s, 2019). It will make
the Philippines basic education at par with international standards by ensuring that it is appropriate, responsive,
and relevant to the learners.

It further provides that the K to 12 graduate is a holistically developed Filipino who has built foundations for
learning throughout life. They are individuals equipped with information, media and technology skills, learning and
innovation skills, life and career skills, and communication skills necessary to tackle the challenges and take
advantage of opportunities of the 21 century. Thus, this study is timely for assessing the extent of developed skills
of SHS graduates' in relation to the expected 21 century skills of the Department of Education, (Section 18 of
DepEd Order No.21, s. 2019).

21st-century skills are key words which have been most searched in recent past. Yet, there seems to be amiss on
how teachers should be prepared to teach 21st-century skills. Limited research insights imply lack of actionable
inputs for design of teacher education programs. As the cultivation of 21st-century skills is recognized as a crucial
outcome of education across all levels, it's important to grasp what these skills entail. Notably, various sources
define 21st-century skills from different angles. Some reports characterize these skills as the capacity for advanced
reasoning, content comprehension, and problem-solving through the application and transfer of knowledge.
(Almazroa, H., & Alotaibi, W., 2023).

In the study of Amadi, C. S. (2023) suggested that future research can concentrate on students’ assessment in
science rather than the expected skills to be developed as suggested in the curriculum. This concentration will be
more effective as the researcher will understand the delivery of science instruction and investigate students’ ability
to demonstrate 21st-century skills as stated in the respective curriculums. Also, the US can be compared with
other developed states—aside from Canada—with necessary similar contexts to verify the findings in this research.
Lastly, the science curriculum analysis for grades 10 to 12 can be conducted since these grades concentrate
specifically on the science disciplines for the “knowledge” foundation.

Moreover, ICT technologies are an integral part of today’s digitized society. Therefore, it is important that children
acquire ICT skills as part of 21st century skills education to prepare them for later life. Drawing on the literature,
seven 21st century skills can profit from the addition of ICT skills, i.e., technical, information, communication,
collaboration, critical thinking, creative, and problem-solving skills. While many efforts have been made to
integrate ICT skills as part of 21st century skills education into primary and secondary school curricula, the
implementation of these skills in early childhood education and care remains a challenge due to developmental
concerns (Weber, A. M., & Greiff, S., 2023).

Theoretical Underpinnings

This study is anchored on the philosophical theory of Existentialism, a philosophical thought that deals with the
conditions of existence of the individual person and his emotions, actions, responsibilities, thoughts, freedom, and
choice (Jack, 2016). Existentialism defined in an educational context focuses on the individual, seeking out a
personal understanding of the world. Each individual characterizes for himself or herself the concepts of reality,
truth, and goodness and as a result, schools exist to aid children in knowing themselves and their place in society.
Kierkegaard (1843) as cited in Saeverot (2011) believed that education is the course undergone by the individual
to catch up with 5 himself and that the person who will not go through this course is not much helped by being
born in the most enlightened age.

The stated philosophical thought is directly linked to this study which determined the extent of the 21st skills
development among Senior High School (SHS) graduates. As the learner decides what he envisions himself to
become in the future, he should equip himself of the 21st century skills in order to thrive in the future. Assessment
of interests is done in the eighth grade to determine their personal preferences. The career guidance of the school
intensifies support to help determine learners’ career preferences that will impact their decision making as to the
exit points they choose in senior high school. The SHS curriculum is designed to assist the students to hone their
potential skills into becoming a reality that they can use to become productive members of society. The K to 12

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curriculum provides the students with the choices they make in preparation for the world of work after graduation,
or for college/university degrees if they decide to pursue higher learning. Thus it is vital to determine if indeed the
students are prepared for their next journeys as entrepreneurs, employees, or students of higher learning

Objectives

This study aimed to determine the extent of the 21st skills development among graduates of Murcia National High
School (MNHS) Senior High and its correlation to the Senior High School Program exit points. Specifically, this
study sought to answer the following queries: 1) the profile of the participants in terms of age, sex and SHS track;
2)the extent of skills development of the participants when taken as a whole and when grouped in terms of
communication skills, learning and innovative skills, life and career skills and information, media,and technology
skills; 3) the exit points of the participants in terms of colegio, trabaho, and negosyo; 4) the significant relationship
between the participants’ extent of skills development and the Senior High School program exit points.

Methodology

This section presents the discussion of the research methodology used, the subjects and respondents of the study,
the research instruments used, the validity and reliability of the instruments, the procedure for data gathering, and
the statistical tools and procedure for data analysis.

Research Design

Descriptive Correlational Research Design was used in this study wherein the data collected attempts to test the
hypothesis and answer the different questions that the researcher would like to know. The researcher would like to
describe the relationship among variables without seeking to establish a causal connection. Descriptive
correlational research (Calderon, 1996) is a purposive process of gathering, analyzing, classifying and tabulating
data about the prevailing conditions, practices, beliefs, process, trends and cause and effect relationship, thus,
making adequate and accurate interpretations about such data with or without the aid of a statistical method
(Laguador, 2010). This study aimed to determine the extent of the 21st skills development among the graduates of
Murcia National High School Senior High (MNHS) from School Years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019, and its correlation
to the Senior High School Program exit points. By determining the extent of skills development among participants
and its correlation to the senior High School Exit points, the researcher will be able to make a training design that
would enhance/strengthen the 21st century skills among Senior High School students.

Study Respondents

A total of two hundred eighteen (218) graduates of Murcia National High School Senior High for the two
consecutive years participated in this study. The sample size of the study was determined using the purposive
sampling technique in identifying the research participants. This technique allowed the researcher to select
participants based on the array of requirements identified, the selection basis for participation were: (1)
Participants should be a graduate of the Murcia National High School Senior High for school years 2017– 2018 and
school year 2018–2019. (2) Participants should be currently engaged with the three Senior High School exits
namely; Colegio, Trabaho, or Negosyo. Given this selection criteria, the researcher got varied experiences which
greatly helped with the completion of this study.

Instruments

The data gathering instrument for this study was a researcher-made questionnaire that was distributed to
graduates of Murcia National High School Senior High. The questionnaire is composed of two parts. The first part
sought information on the personal characteristics of the research participants while the second part is the
questionnaire proper which includes issues and concerns that have bearings on the 21st century skills development
that were acquired by the participants while engaged on the three SHS exit points. The responses of the
participants were interpreted as follows:

Range Interpretation Description

4.50 – 5.00 Very Great Extent Participant’s skills development is highly evident at all times.
3.50 – 4.49 Great Extent Participant’s skills development is evident most of the time.
2.50 – 3.49 Moderate Extent Participant’s skills development is sometimes evident.
1.50 – 2.49 Low Extent Participant’s skills development is rarely manifested.
1.00 – 1.49 Very Low Extent Participant’s skills development is not evident or rarely manifested.

It was subjected to validity (4.20-highly valid) and reliability (0.909-highly reliable). All of them were interpreted
as worthy and good; respectively.

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Data Gathering Procedure

Data gathering started with the preparation of the research instrument for reliability testing. Communication letters
were sent to the School Head of the targeted school for the conduct of reliability testing, after which the researcher
subjected it to data processing using Cronbach Alpha. Another communication letter was sent to prospective
research validators and the result was collected by the researcher for computations. Adequate copies of the
questionnaires were reproduced. The researcher personally administered the questionnaires to the graduates with
the assistance of some generous friends. These enabled the researcher to gather the responses of the participants
and assured herself of 100 percent retrieval of the filled-up questionnaires. The work of Gines and Macatangay
gives us an insight on the importance of the tracer for the graduates and gather information on their present
situation and make the data gathered as basis for policy making regarding improvement of career offerings in

schools. This uses a back-tracing of students who graduated and assessed as to the extent of 21st Century Skills
development they acquired in their senior high school years. The accomplished questionnaires were subjected to
data processing in preparation for analysis and interpretation. Computations were done with the assistance of a
Statistician and processed with the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Likewise, the
statistical tables were constructed as per the consideration of the problem that was stated in the study.

Data Analysis and Statistical Treatment

Objective No.1 used a descriptive-analytical scheme and frequency count and percentage to facilitate the
description of the profile of the participants.

Objective No.2 used a descriptive-analytical scheme and mean to determine the extent of skills development of the
research participants when taken as a whole and when grouped in terms of the aforementioned variables.

Objective No.3 used a descriptive-analytical scheme and frequency count and percentage to solve for the exit
points of the graduates Murcia National High School senior High when taken as a whole and in terms of the given
variables.

Objective No. 4 used a comparative analytical scheme and Mann-Whitney U-test and Pearson r to determine the
significant difference in the extent of skills development and the Senior High School exit points of the research
participants when taken as a whole and when grouped according to variables.

Ethical Consideration

For ethical considerations, the researcher identified and acknowledged the source of information used in this study.
Citations were always practiced to respect others’ ideas and works. Before the distribution of the questionnaires,
the researcher sought the permission of the participants personally through individually chatting with them through
social media platform, messenger, if it were alright for the m to answer questions validating their identity and
whether they were graduates of Murcia National High School Senior High in 2018 and about their level of skills
development while being engaged with the SHS exit points). Questionnaires were submitted to the Senior High
School teacher of the school to whom these were retrieved from. The researcher strongly adheres to keeping the
identity of the participants confidential and more so their answers kept secret and will be used for intellectual or
research purposes only.

Results and Discussion

This section deals with the presentation, analysis and interpretation of data gathered to carry out the objectives of
this study. All these were made possible by following certain appropriate procedures so as to give the exact data
and solution to each specific problem.

Table 1
Profile of the graduates of Murcia National High School Senior High
Variables Category f %
Age Younger (20 years & below) 167 76.6
Older (above 20 yrs. Old) 51 23.4
Total 218 100
Sex Male 104 47.7
Female 114 52.3
Total 218 100
SHS Track Academic 158 72.5

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 TVL 60 27.5
Total 218 100

The data in Table 1 shows that out of the 218 participants, 167 of them were identified to have age ranging from
20 years old and below and were considered as the younger group. The remaining 51 participants were categorized
as the older group; whose members have ages above 20 years old. This implied that the majority of the
participants fall under 20 years old and below. This is similar to the study of the Philippine National Statistics
Coordination Board which stated that most of the secondary school graduates were having an average age of 20
during graduation. In terms of sex, out of the 218 participants, the male group accounted for 104 members while
there are 114 female participants responded to this study. This showed that there are more female SHS graduates
than their male counterparts. According to the Statistics on Filipinos in public secondary schools, 64.06 percent
were composed of female students while 35.94 percent were males. On the SHS track choices category, data
depicted that out of 218 participants, 158 of them were Academic Track graduates while 60 participants enrolled in
TVL Track. This showed that the majority (72%) of the graduates have taken the Academic Track and only a
fraction (28%) of that was TVL
graduates. This supported the study of Gines, (2014) which confirms that there were more Academic Track
graduates in the Education sector compared to those of TVL courses.

Table 2
Extent of Skills Development of graduates of Murcia National High School
Variables Mean SD Interpretation
Learning and Innovative Skills 4.26 .58784 Great Extent
Effective Communication Skills 4.30 .34926 Great Extent
Life and Career Skills 4.26 .39165 Great Extent
Media and Information Technology Skills 4.28 .51943 Great Extent
Overal 4.28 .51943 Great Extent
4.50- 5.00-Very Great Extent, 3.50-4.49-Great Extent, 2.5-3.49-Moderate Extent, 11.50-2.49-Low Extent, 1.00-.149-Very Low Extent

Another concern of this study was on the extent of the 21 st skills development of the graduates of Murcia National
High School Senior High when taken as a whole. Table 2 showed that the overall mean registered at 4.28 and
interpreted to a great extent. It shows that all 21st century skills acquired by Senior High School Students were at
a rate of Very Satisfactory. Although all the skills identified were interpreted to a great extent, Learning and
Innovative Skills and Life and Career Skills got the lowest mean of 4.26, while Communication Skills got the
highest mean of 4.30. This implied that the graduates were able to learn effective communication competencies
which helped them cope with the demands of their workplace. This holds with the study of Miller, 2009 which
stated that employers see communication skills as an important factor for workplace success of their employees.

Table 3
Extent of Skills Development of the graduates of Murcia National High School Senior High on Learning and
Innovative Skills
Learning and Innovative Skills Mean SD Interpretation
As a Senior High School graduate, I . . .
1. love to create new things 4.29 0.81 Great Extent
2. work creatively & collaborate with others 4.21 0.81 Great Extent
3. introduce and implements innovative ideas 3.86 0.84 Great Extent
4. have a positive appreciation towards learning 4.40 0.62 Great Extent
5. am self-motivated to explore new learning 4.46 0.65 Great Extent
6. accepts criticism constructively and objectively 4.41 0.65 Great Extent
7. am adaptable and flexible towards learning 4.24 0.77 Great Extent
8. love to solve complex problems 3.84 1.09 Great Extent
4.50- 5.00-Very Great Extent, 3.50-4.49-Great Extent, 2.5-3.49-Moderate Extent, 11.50-2.49-Low Extent, 1.00-.149-Very Low Extent

Data in Table 3 shows that the extent of skills development of the graduates of Murcia National High School Senior
High on Learning and Innovative Skills, the 5th (am self-motivated to explore and learn new things) got the highest
mean of 4.46. This meant that the graduates were self-motivated to explore new learnings and accepted criticism
constructively and objectively. While the 8th item (love to solve complex problems) got the lowest mean of 3.84
which explains that the graduates were less enthusiastic in solving complex problems that they met. These findings
confirmed the study of Miller (2009) on the development of 21st century skills through the use of online social
network tools. He confirmed that high school and college students liked to explore new learnings using social media
tools but did not like facing complex ideas.

Table 4

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Extent of Skills Development of the graduates of Murcia National High School Senior High on Communication Skills
Communication Skills Mean SD Interpretation
As a Senior High School graduate, I . . .
9. pay close attention to the person speaking 4.22 0.62 Great Extent
10. allow others to speak without interruption 4.40 0.68 Great Extent
11.understand other people’s emotion & select an 4.56 0.54 Very Great Extent
appropriate response
12. exhibit confidence by making eye contact while 4.24 0.64 Great Extent
I’s addressing someone.
13. love to share my experiences through verbal 4.33 0.68 Great Extent
communication
14. accept critical feedback and provide 4.27 0.59 Great Extent
constructive inputs to others.
15. consider my audience and on how to effectively 4.06 0.66 Great Extent
communicate with them.
16. speak clearly and audibly so that I will be 4.30 0.61 Great Extent
heard.
4.50- 5.00-Very Great Extent, 3.50-4.49-Great Extent, 2.5-3.49-Moderate Extent, 11.50-2.49-Low Extent, 1.00-.149-Very Low Extent

Data in Table 4 shows that the extent of skills development of the graduates of Murcia National High School Senior
High on Communication Skills. The 3rd item, (understand other people’s emotions and select an appropriate
response) got the highest mean of 4.56. This meant that when talking to someone, the graduates were considering
the emotions of the one they are talking to and choose a proper response. While the participants got low on the 1st
item (pay close attention to the person speaking) with the mean score of 4.21, it connotes that the graduates did
not pay close attention when others were talking. These findings are in contrast with the study of Miller (2009) on
the development of the 21st century skills through the use of online social network tools where he concluded that
high school and college students were attentive to others while they were talking.

Table 5
Extent of Skills Development of the graduates of Murcia National High School Senior High on Life and Career Skills
Life and Career Skills Mean SD Interpretation
As a Senior High School graduate, I . . .
17. am adaptable to varied roles and other 4.08 0.69 Great Extent
responsibilities.
18. deal positively with praises, setbacks and 4.17 0.68 Great Extent
criticisms.
19. set achievable goals and continue learning. 4.27 0.65 Great Extent
20. utilize and manage time and work effectively 4.27 0.57 Great Extent
21. can effectively work independently or with a 4.17 0.75 Great Extent
team.
22. plan, manage and prioritize work to achieve 4.14 0.69 Great Extent
the intended result.
23. consider individual differences in dealing with 4.48 0.57 Great Extent
people.
24. consider my career choice as the option for the 4.51 0.75 Very Great Extent
future.
4.50- 5.00-Very Great Extent, 3.50-4.49-Great Extent, 2.5-3.49-Moderate Extent, 11.50-2.49-Low Extent, 1.00-.149-Very Low Extent

Table 5 revealed that the extent of skills development of the graduates of Murcia National High School Senior High
on Life and Career Skills, the 8th item (consider my career choice as the best option for the future) got the highest
mean of 4.51. This means that the graduates considered their career choice as the best option for the future
considering the 21st century skills acquisition they acquired as Senior High School Students. While the 6 th item
(plan, manage and prioritize work to achieve the intended result) got the lowest mean of 4.14 which explained that
the graduates were low on planning, managing, and prioritizing work to achieve the positive result. These findings
supported the study of Hughes (2012) on the use of project-based learning (PBL) to gain insights on the 21st
century skills used by the learners. This study also substantiated claims that project-based learning was a feasible
instruction in honing the 21st century skill of the student.

Table 6
Extent of Skills Development of the graduates of Murcia National High School Senior High on Media & Information
Technology Skills
Media & Information Tech. Skills Mean SD Interpretation
As a Senior High School graduate, I . . .

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25. have adequate skills in media & information 4.06 0.77 Great Extent
technology.
26. have no difficulty in using technological skills in 3.89 0.76 Great Extent
my chosen career.
27. use media and information technology to help 4.25 0.73 Great Extent
improve my performance.
28. use information technology to effectively 4.32 0.70 Great Extent
communicate with other people.
29. believe that media and information technology 4.52 0.66 Very Great Extent
plays a vital role in any organization.
30. realize the help of technology in widening my 4.42 0.71 Great Extent
opportunities in my chosen career.
31. love to work with other people using media & 4.12 0.88 Great Extent
info. Tech.
32. understand the importance of media & info 4.62 0.67 Very Great Extent
technology to my chosen career
4.50- 5.00-Very Great Extent, 3.50-4.49-Great Extent, 2.5-3.49-Moderate Extent, 11.50-2.49-Low Extent, 1.00-.149-Very Low Extent

Table 6 shows that the extent of skills development of the graduates of Murcia National High School Senior High on
Media and Information Technology Skills the 8th item (understand the importance of media and information
technology to my chosen career) got the highest mean of 4.62. This meant that the graduates understood the
importance of Media and Information Technology in their chosen careers. While the 2 nd item (have no difficulty in
choosing technological skills in my chosen career) got the lowest mean of 3.89 which explained that the graduates
have little difficulty in using technology in their chosen career. These findings back the study of Geiselhofer (2010)
to identify components of a new model for teaching and learning 21st century literacy skills.

Table 7
Exit Points of the graduates of Murcia National High School Senior High
Variables f %
Colegio 208 95.4
Negosyo 1 0.5
Trabaho 9 4.1
Total 218 100

Table 7 depicts the Exit Points of the graduates of Murcia National High School Senior High. The table illustrated
the distribution of the participant’s engagement relative to the Senior High School exit points program that the
Department of Education offered. On the three exit points, Colegio got the highest percentage in terms of
frequency for it covers 95.4% of the population, while only one graduate engaged in doing business as the career
choice. This implied that most of the senior high school graduates opt to pursue their higher education and become
career professionals in whatever fields they venture in. This study is in support of the observation of Reyes, 2018
in her blog “What’s next for Senior High School?” which narrates that the majority of the senior high scho ol
graduates in the country, especially those who took the academic track, decided to enroll in higher education. This
study further supports the findings of Maurice Dence B. Bacaling where the majority of the students’ career
decisions after graduation will enroll in college/university.

Table 8
Significant Difference in the Extent of Skills Development of the graduates of Murcia National High School Senior
High when grouped according to Age
Variables Category U-value p-value Interpretation
Age Younger (104.43) 23411** 0.031 Significant
Older (126.12)
Note: p < 0.05 **

Table 8 shows the significant difference in the extent of skills development of the graduates of Murcia National High
School Senior High when grouped according to Age. Utilizing Mann-Whitney U - test, table 9 shows that there was
a significant difference in the extent of skills development of the graduates of Murcia National High School Senior
High when grouped according to age [U=3411, p=0.031] at 0.05 level of significance. We can further declare that
the age of the participants has something to do with the readiness of skills development that they have acquired
during their stay in the school. These findings supported the study of Hughes, 2012 which revealed that the older
the students were, the more they were able to learn the competencies and can easily adjust to the challenges
brought about by global competition.

Table 9

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Significant Difference in the Extent of Skills Development of the graduates of Murcia National High School Senior
High when grouped according to Sex
Variables Category U-value p-value Interpretation
Sex Male (111.84) 5684.5 0.60 Not Significant
Female (107.36)
NS - Difference was not significant ( p <= 0.05)

There was no significant difference in the extent of skills development of the graduates of Murcia National High
School Senior High when grouped according to Sex, [U = 5684.5, p = 0.60] at 0.05 level of significance. Table 9
data suggested that the maleness or femaleness of the participants have nothing to do with their ability to
efficiently learn the competencies included in the 21st century skills development. This was in contrast with the
study of Hillman, 2012 that says that female participants have a higher rate of learning as compared to their male
counterparts.

Table 10
Significant Difference in the Extent of Skills Development of the graduates of Murcia National High School Senior
High School when they are grouped according to Track
Variables Category U-value p-value Interpretation
Track Academic (113.44) 4118 0.134 Not Significant
TVL (99.13)
NS - Difference was not significant ( p <= 0.05)

Data on Table 10 revealed that there is no significant difference in the extent of skills development of the
graduates of Murcia National High School Senior High when grouped according to SHS Tracks, [U = 4118, p =
0.134] at 0.05 level of significance, this means that the learning skills of the graduates did not vary whether they
belong to Academic or TVL tracks. This is in contrast with the study of Masangcay (2013) which shows that
Academic track students have a higher learning rate compared to those taking up TVL.

Table 11
Correlation on the Extent of Skills Development and the level of Exit Point Program of the graduates of Murcia
National High School Senior High
Variables X² p-value Interpretation
Track and Skill Development 0.870* 0.00 Significant
Note: p < 0.05*

Table 11 presents the statistics on the correlation on the extent of skills development and the exit point program of
the graduates of Murcia National High School Senior High. Utilizing the chi-square test of association, table 12
shows that the extent of skills development and level of exit point program of senior high school graduates have a
high positive correlation [X² = 0.870, p = 0.000] at 0.05 level of significance. This result shows that the exit point
program where the Senior High School graduates of Murcia National High School engaged in did influence the level
of their skills development. These findings led the researcher to reject hypothesis 3 which states that there is no
correlation between the participant’s extent of skills development and the Senior High School Program exit points.

Conclusions:

With regards the Senior High School Program exit points, it revealed that most of the graduates were engaged with
college education with 95.4% of the total population, while there was only one graduate who is working and the
rest of the participants were engaged in business. Results further revealed that on significant differences, no
significant difference exists between the extent of skills development of the graduates of Murcia National High
School Senior High when grouped according to sex and chosen tracks. While in the age category, there was a
significant difference with .031 p-value lower than the prescribed significant level of 0.05. Moreover, as to the
correlation between the participant’s extent of skills development and the level of Senior High School program exit
points, results revealed that there was a significant correlation that exists with the p-value of 0.00 less than the
required value of 0.05. Based on the findings, this study concludes that a shift in the curriculum from the Basic
Education Curriculum (BEC) to the K to 12 Curriculum emphasized honing the skills and career pathways of Filipino
learners. K to 12 Curriculum prepares students to be globally competent individuals. Further emphasized in the
senior high school program the importance of career decision and the curriculum exits namely: Trabaho, Negosyo,
and Colegio. This study further concludes that the majority of the senior high school graduating students pursued
higher education (Colegio). Also, it is significantly noticeable that students did not want to find a job after
graduation (Trabaho). Although career guidance is being highlighted in the curriculum program, there are still
students who can’t decide what to pursue after graduation. Moreover, the extent of 21st century skills
development shows significance with the exit points they have chosen.

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Recommendations

Based on the findings and conclusions, this paper calls with the following to:

Department of Education (DepEd). It is recommended that the findings of this study will serve as a basis and
help the agency in the formulation of legislation, laws, and policies governing the proper implementation of the
program. This work may provide a basis for strengthening and establishing a comprehensive reform in the
department regarding the identified pitfalls during and after its implementation.

Schools Division Superintendent. It is recommended to the hierarchy of the School Divisions to utilize the
findings of this study during the formulation of programs, plans, and policies to make interventions to address
these problems in program implementation. Further, it is recommended that the Senior High School Curriculum be
revisited and identify the extent to which the 21st Century Skills are integrated into the subjects taught.

School Heads/Administrators. It is recommended to the school heads and administrators that the result of this
study may serve as an eye-opener and make necessary adjustments in their approaches and strategies during the
program implementation. The researcher recommended to the school head to conduct a three-day Senior High
School Curriculum Exits Fair which would aim to help the first batch of K to 12 graduates land the different
curriculum exits – Trabaho, Negosyo, and Colegio. The three-day activity corresponds to the Job Fair, Business
Fair, and College/University and Vocational School Fair for the students to decide what career they want after
graduation.

Public School Teachers. This study recommends that teachers, being curriculum implementers, should be aware
of the present situation to be reminded of their important role in the successful implementation of the program in
their respective stations. Further recommended to attend training relevant to the implementation of 21st century
skills and its integration to the curriculum.

Students. This study recommends that the students be aware of the program being offered to them. The decision
as to the exit points best rely on them but regardless of what exit point they choose, they must keep themselves
aware and be mindful that the 21st century skills will greatly benefit them by way of equipping them with the
necessary skills needed to succeed in the future.

Acknowledgment

The researcher would like to express her sincere gratitude to all those who have supported her throughout the
course of her research paper. To her adviser and panel committee, thank you for your invaluable guidance,
encouragement, and expertise. Your insights and constructive feedback were instrumental in shaping this work. To
her family and friends, thank you for your unwavering support and encouragement. Your belief in her kept her
motivated during those challenging times. Everyone, thank you all for being part of this journey.

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