MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) announced the discontinuation of the Senior High School program in the entire country.
Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said the move to discontinue the Senior High School program aligns with the mandate of the country’s higher education institutions (HEIs).
“While they were allowed to provide SHS during the transition period, we agree that it is not the role of HEIs to offer basic education, except for those with laboratory schools,” said Villanueva.
Villanueva emphasized the importance of considering the repercussions of this decision on students.
“As such, we expect sufficient coordination between DepEd and CHED to ensure that there will be no disruption in the education of our students and that there is enough DepEd or private sector capacity to take it on,” Villanueva added.
Meanwhile, in a memorandum issued on December 29, CHED chairman Prospero De Vera III specified that the involvement of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs) in providing basic education through Senior High School (SHS) would be restricted to the K-12 transition period, spanning from the school year 2016-2017 to the school year 2020-2021.
De Vera clarified that this decision is in accordance with CHED’s earlier instructions as outlined in CMO Nos. 32 and 33 of 2015 and 2016.
These directives specified that the “engagement of SUCs and LUCs in basic education through senior high school shall be limited to the K-12 transition period, which is from SY 2016-2017 to SY 2020-2021 only.”
Additionally, he emphasized that the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) has conveyed a notification on behalf of DepEd.
Furthermore, he stated that DepEd has officially announced the cessation of government assistance to students and teachers in private education (GASTPE) recipients from SUCs and LUCs starting the academic year 2023-2024.
“There should be no more Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) beneficiaries from SUCs/LUCs, except those who will be entering Grade 12 in SY 2023-2024 to finish their basic education and that SUCs and LUCs with laboratory schools can accept enrollees but will no longer receive vouchers,” read the CHED memorandum.
“Considering the foregoing, the SUC Presidents/OICs are directed to bring to their respective SUC BOR/BOT the discontinuance of senior high school in SUCs as there is no longer a legal basis to fund the same,” the memo reads.
“For SUCs with laboratory schools, present to the Board the financial implications of the notice from the Department of Education as to the non-issuance of vouchers for senior high school enrollees in SUCs and compliance with CMO No. 32 series of 2015 which provides the following transition period, the laboratory schools shall cap enrollment to 750 students,” it added.
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