Senators on Thursday, January 4 urged the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Education (DepEd) to ensure no student would be displaced with the discontinuation of the Senior High School (SHS) program in state universities (SUCs) and local universities and colleges (LUCs).

Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero said that while there is legal basis to suspend SHS programs in SUCs and LUCs and is supported with the mandate of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), it is important to guarantee no student would be left behind due to this latest development.

Escudero, who chairs the Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education, noted that the SUCs and LUCs were only allowed to accommodate SHS during the transition period to the K-12 program.

“Bagama’t legal ang hakbangin ng CHED, mahalaga pa rin na matiyak natin ang kapakanan ng ating mga estudyante sa senior high school. Walang dapat na maiwan at mahalaga rito na nag-uusap ang CHED at DepEd (Although CHED's initiative is legal, it is still important that we ensure the welfare of our senior high school students. No one should be left behind and it is important that CHED and DepEd talk),” Escudero pointed out.

Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Grace Poe also echoed Escudero’s call.

“I urge both the CHED and the DepEd to ensure a seamless transition for the affected learners and teachers, particularly the 17,700 Grade 11 learners who may need to change schools,” Gatchalian said in a statement.

“To prevent any disruption in learners' education, DepEd should proactively explore options such as admitting these learners in public schools or facilitating their transfer to the private sector where they can benefit from the voucher program,” he added.

Gatchalian also said it is imperative for the DepEd, CHED, SUCs, and LUCs to provide assistance to the teaching and non-teaching personnel who also stand to lose their jobs due to this mandate.

“These teachers and non-teaching personnel helped our schools during the K-12 transition period, which started from School Year 2016-2017. We need to ensure that they will keep their jobs once SUCs and LUCs stop offering senior high school,” he pointed out.

Poe said education authorities should discuss and firm up a plan for a seamless transition for senior high school (SHS) students affected by the discontinuation of the SHS program.

“There should be an assessment to know if public schools nationwide have the facilities and personnel to accept the expected influx of students,” she said.

Poe said these students should not be compelled to spend so much on tuitiion or be forced to drop out of school due to their family’s lack of financial support.

“The SHS program should hold its promise of employability and more competitive graduates, not as burden to Filipino learners,” she stressed.