DepEd says halting of SHS programs in SUCs, LUCs anchored in law

The discontinuation of the senior high school (SHS) program in state universities and colleges (SUCs) and local universities and colleges (LUCs) is anchored in a law, an official of the Department of Education (DepEd) said Friday.

Education Assistant Secretary Francis Bringas cited Republic Act (RA) 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013.

“That’s the K to 12 Basic Education law natin, nasa IRR natin ‘yan, Section 32 na hanggang five-year transition lang ang pag offer ng mga SUCs and LUCs ng SHS,” Bringas said in an interview on CNN.

(That's the K to 12 Basic Education law, it's in the IRR, Section 32 states that the SUCs and LUCs will offer the SHS program during the five-year transition period.)

“That’s because during the time na nag transition tayo— nag open tayo ng Grade 11 in 2016, definitely, wala silang incoming freshmen in the tertiary. Therefore, meron silang mga facilities na hindi magagamit at meron silang mga teachers na hindi magagamit. So it was best to utilize their facilities at para hindi rin mawalan ng trabaho ‘yung mga teachers,” he added.

(That's because during the time we transitioned— when we opened Grade 11 in 2016 there were no incoming freshmen in the tertiary. Therefore, they had facilities and teachers that would not be used. So it was best to utilize them so the teachers would not lose their jobs.)

This came after the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) announced its decision to halt SHS programs in SUCs and LUCs. CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera III said that the engagement of the SUCs and LUCs shall only be limited from School Year (SY) 2016-2017 to SY 2020-2021.

Bringas explained that the recent memorandum of CHED is only a reiteration of a previous memorandum in 2015 and 2016.

“So I would presume that since mula pa nung 2016, the LUCs and SUCs are already aware na hanggang 2021 lang ang kanilang pag offer ng SHS. So since umabot na nga tayo ng 2022, 2023 parang meron na tayong na extend actually na palugit ng offering ng SHS in the state and local universities,” he said.

(I would presume that since 2016, the LUCs and SUCs were already aware that they would offer the SHS program only until 2021. So since we reached 2022, 2023, we have seemingly extended the offer of the SHS in the state and local universities.)

DepEd Undersecretary Michael Poa previously said that affected SHS learners have two options: enroll in public schools offering basic education or enroll in private schools and avail of the voucher program.

Bringas reiterated that there are enough public schools to accommodate all 17,700 incoming Grade 12 learners who would be affected by the discontinuation of the program.

“Yeah, definitely, ma-accommodate natin sila. Malaking number ‘yung 17,700 but that’s all over the country, distributed over 70 school division offices. So it will boil down to around 250 learners per school division office. So marami tayong mga public schools and private schools within the areas of the SUCs and LUCs,” he said. 

Meanwhile, several lawmakers, including House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas, were apprehensive saying this may result in SHS students being forced to turn to private schools which charge higher tuition and fees, or stop schooling if they cannot be accommodated in public schools because of lack of facilities.

Kabataan party-list Representatives Raoul Manuel, for his part, slammed DepEd and CHED for allowing the students to enroll in SUCs and LUCs before discontinuing the program while House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro said there should have been consultations with the students, parents, and teachers.—Joahna Lei Casilao/AOL, GMA Integrated News