SHS program not abolished, CHED clarifies

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on Monday refuted claims that it has abolished the senior high school (SHS) program, following the issuance of memorandum ordering state and local universities and colleges to discontinue the program. 

In a television interview, CHED chairman Prospero de Vera III explained that CHED has no authority to terminate the SHS program, and is only reminding SUCs and LUCs to discontinue the program because they no longer have a legal basis to continue accepting SHS students as the K-12 transition period has already ended. 

“I was surprised by the fake news and insinuations that have been circulating, so I’d like to make clear — K to 12 is not abolished and CHED has no authority to abolish senior high. Because I've been getting reports complaining that I have abolished senior high school. That’s not within the jurisdiction of CHED,” De Vera told ANC. 

At a press conference, De Vera said implementation of the K-12 program will continue pursuant to Republic Act No. 10533, also known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013. 

The K-12 program is under the Department of Education (DepEd), based on the law. 

De Vera said many SUCs and LUCs have already stopped the implementation of the SHS program in the past three years. 

He, however, admitted that some SUCs were in favor of housing SHS students because the SHS program serves as a “feeder program” for their specialization. 

“For example, our maritime schools want to experiment with the senior high curriculum that goes into the maritime education. Our engineering schools want STEM programs so that it becomes a feeder program for their courses,” the CHED chief said. 

But since the K-12 transition period is already over and the enrollment in SUCs have now increased, De Vera said these SUCs have to provide facilities and teachers for students taking higher education courses. 

“There is a balancing act that has to be one in terms of accepting and being able to provide senior high. So I hope there is no impression na parang nagdadamot ang mga state universities and colleges na ayaw nila tanggapin [that SUCs don’t want to accept them],” De Vera said. 

The Department of Education (DepEd), for its part, 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.

This developed as DepEd issued a notice insisting that there should be no more Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GATSPE) beneficiaries from the SUCs and LUCs starting SY 2023-2024, except those who will be entering Grade 12.

No displacement 

De Vera stressed that the memorandum is not abrupt nor arbitrary, and that there is no displacement of students so far as the school year 2023-2024 is still ongoing. 

DepEd's database showed there are around 17,700 Grade 11 learners enrolled in the current school year in SUCs and LUCs across the country. 

“We need to know where they are and the state of senior high school facilities and services in the area, and whether their access to education will be negatively affected by the ending of senior high school offering by SUCs and LUCs,” he said. 

De Vera also said that CHED is already coordinating with some SUCs and LUCs to look into viable options for SHS students who will be affected by the discontinuation. 

“We continue to monitor the situation on the ground and we are ready to sit down with DepEd and other educational stakeholders in the areas where there is a recognized problem in accommodating senior high students to ensure that no student will be left behind for academic year 2024-2025,” he said.

As to the teachers, CHED earlier assured that they would neither be displaced nor transferred to other learning institutions following the discontinuation, and will remain in SUCs and LUCs to teach higher education courses.  —KBK, GMA Integrated News