Kakasa Ka Ba Sa Grade 5?

infobox television
show_name = Kakasa Ka Ba sa Grade 5?


caption = Host Janno Gibbs with the show's logo
format = Game show
picture_format = 480i SDTV
runtime = 1 hour
creator = Mark Burnett
director =
executive_producer = Wilma Galvante
starring = Janno Gibbs
country = flagicon|Philippines Philippines
language = Filipino, Tagalog, English
network = GMA Network
first_aired = October 27, 2007
last_aired = March 29, 2008
num_episodes = 22
list_episodes =
theme_music_composer =
opentheme = "Kakasa Ka Ba Sa Grade 5"
endtheme =
preceded_by = Celebrity Duets (Philippine Edition)
followed_by = Pinoy Idol
website =
imdb_id =
tv_com_id =

"Kakasa Ka Ba Sa Grade 5?" ("Are You Tough Enough for Grade 5") is the Philippine version of "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" It started airing the show on October 27 2007 on GMA Network. It is hosted by singer, actor, and comedian Janno Gibbs, who is known in the show as the "Chairman of the Blackboard."

The show is announced under the proposed title "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?: Pinoy Edition" as early as August after the network acquired the format from Mark Burnett International. This acquisition came as sister network Q started airing the original US version. The present title of the Philippine version came later. Both this show and the original version are airing concurrently; the original on Thursdays and this Filipino version on Saturdays.

The theme song used in the show is a Filipino version of the original "5th Grader" theme, sung by Sugarpop, a kiddie group composed of finalists from the program "Popstar Kids".

The show's first season had its last episode on March 29 2008 with Michael V. as its last contestant and the classmates' "graduation." "Pinoy Idol", scheduled to air a week after, will take over its time slot.

Rules and general themes

Rules are roughly the same as the original US version, down the composition of the classroom (although comparatively smaller) and the theme song. The Philippine version also has the same three "cheats" to help the contestant. There are noted differences however.

The ten questions in each game are categorized into several general subjects based on Philippine primary school curriculum which is also approved by the Department of Education (which also checks the questions for the show).The subjects are:
* English
* Science
* Mathematics
* Filipino
* "Sibika at Kultura" (Civics and Culture) for Grades 1 to 3 and HEKASI or "Heograpiya, Kasaysayan at Sibika" (Geography, History, and Civics) for Grades 4 and 5
* "Edukasyong Pangtahanan" (Home Economics)
* M.A.P.E. (Music, Arts and Physical Education)

Generally, each category is written as "Grade number and subject". Though the show itself is mostly in Filipino, questions are generally in English, except Filipino, Civics, and Home Economics questions which are in Filipino, as these three subjects are all taught in Filipino in most schools in the Philippines. (See "Education in the Philippines" for further information.)

The Philippine version also uses a slightly similar money board (see table at left) to the one used in the US version, except there is no P2,000 level, but instead a P75,000.

Another notable difference is when the answer to a question is about to be revealed, Janno does not say this orally to the contestant as his American counterpart Jeff Foxworthy does. Instead, the answer is shown on the "blackboard" facing the contestant and the current classmate. In case the contestant chooses to copy the classmate's response, the answer is revealed first before the classmate's response is shown.

Early teasers for the show present ten classmates, all Grade 5 students. They are "Chey," "Jun," "Shari," "Nikki," "Joshua," "Marianne," "AJ," "Elise," "Kim," and "Camille," with their real names shown in the credits. It can be presumed that half of them appear in one episode at a time, since there are only five desks in the classroom.

Furthermore, when the contestant decides to "drop out" (stop and take the money) or "flunks out" (answers incorrectly), the contestant must profess to the camera, "Hindi ako kakasa sa Grade 5." ("I am not tough enough for Grade 5.") The contestant is then given a trophy shaped like a squash, as if the "kalabasa award," a figurative prize of shame, is literally bestowed upon the contestant as consolation ("kalabasa" is a Filipino term for squash which is also used as a slang for "the not-so bright").

ee also

* Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?
* GMA Network
* List of programs broadcast by GMA Network