Starting next school year, there will be no more Senior High School (SHS) vouchers for incoming Grade 11 students who wish to enroll in government-run higher education institutions (HEIs).
The Department of Education (DepEd), in a statement issued Tuesday, Jan. 16, said that before the start of the current school year, Order No. 20 s. 2023 was issued.
The said DepEd Order, agency said, stated that “there should be no more Grade 11 voucher beneficiaries” from State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs) for School Year (SY) 2023-2024.
Citing its records, DepEd said that “several SUCs and LUCs still accepted Grade 11 learners for the current school year,” despite the said issuance.
“To avoid a similar situation going forward, we would like to remind our SUCs and LUCs that DepEd will no longer be extending the SHSVP to Grade 11 learners in their schools beginning SY 2024-2025,” DepEd said.
Moreover, DepEd stressed that the acceptance of new SHS learners by SUCs and LUCs “shall only be made in accordance with their charters and charged to their respective funds.”
In December, CHED reiterated the discontinuation of the SHS program in SUCs and LUCs in a memorandum issued by Chairman Popoy De Vera.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2024/1/2/ched-confirms-discontinuation-of-shs-program-in-su-cs-lu-cs
The said memo was met with concern and prompted various authorities to look into the issue. Various groups also called out DepEd and CHED for the discontinuation of the program.
De Vera, on CHED’s part, defended the said memo and clarified that the SUCs and LUCs decided to close their SHS programs since the K to 12 transition has already ended.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2024/1/8/closure-of-shs-programs-up-to-su-cs-lu-cs-de-vera
De Vera also explained that for years now, many SUCs and LUCs have been closing their SHS programs so they can use their resources such as classrooms and teachers for their students.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2024/1/8/ched-enrollment-increase-prompts-su-cs-lu-cs-to-discontinue-shs-program
Despite the closure of SHS programs in public higher education institutions (HEIs), De Vera assured that the K to 12 program will continue.
DepEd, for its part, has announced that the SHS Voucher Program has been extended for Grade 11 students who are currently enrolled in SUCs and LUCs.
The extension is valid this SY 2023-2024 until they complete Grade 12.
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