Filipino teachers' experiences as curriculum policy implementers in the evolving K to 12 landscape

Basic education in the Philippines responded to the multiplicity of demands in its sociopolitical, economic, technological, and academic spheres through various reforms, the most large-scale of which is the K to 12 education program. This initiative changed many facets of the curricular operations in Philippine classrooms which are supported by policies. The changes that these curricular policies intend to achieve are shaped by the teachers who are at the forefront of its implementation. Using a phenomenological approach, this study investigates how five Filipino teachers implement these policies in their classrooms. Findings reveal that teachers face a number of tensions that describe their lived experience in making sense and operationalising curriculum policies in their classroom: (1) confused yet appreciative; (2) frustrated yet flexible; and (3) powerless yet vital. This study concludes with discussion about the success of curriculum implementation depending largely on how teachers understand and implement curriculum polices.