Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The Department of Education has made the biggest leap of faith after the daring launch of
the first nationwide implementation of the Senior High School Program as part of the country’s
compulsory Basic Education. This spirit is tantamount to the feeling of former Department of
Education Secretary Brother Armin Luistro. In an interview with GMA correspondent Joseph
Tristan Roxas he said on June 9, 2016, a few days before the date of the Senior High School
Program launching, "Very prepared for a first timer opening 11,000 senior high schools in every
municipality and city. I think this is the boldest move the department has ever undertaken." He
added, "We feel like a mother expectant for its first baby. While we have done everything
possible to prepare for it, I don't think no one can prepare for the great joy that one will see and
The feeling of Brother Luistro on the need to improve our educational system is shared in
principle by this paper. However, the repercussion on the unpreparedness is crucial in defining
the lives of students and in the long terms their families. Another implication to look into is the
collateral sacrifices of the Higher Educational Institutions especially those from private
universities who have to endure the two years of no enrollment due to the inclusion of additional
two years in the Basic Education. It is also worthy of consideration that a sizeable number of
instructors of colleges and universities were retrench because of lack in the teaching load. These
detriments to individuals and institutions should not be for naught. The least the Department of
Education has to give in return is to provide the helpful environment and resources for the
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enrollees and for the program to respond to the call for appropriateness in terms of competence
It is therefore only natural that everyone is hoping that the statement made by Brother
Armin Luistro is true to its highest form. He said, ―I am so certain that there will be challenges
on Day 1 but none of those will be insurmountable especially since our schools, our divisions
This paper will specify the preparedness claimed by the Department of Education in their
launch of the Senior High School Program as what the former Secretary earlier mentioned. On
the other side of the coin, this will also discuss its critics in order to make an assessment on the
program’s preparedness. With such non biased view of the real facts, it is hope that the
identification process on the gaps, if there is any, will serve as an eye opener for those
concerned. Thus, it could be a way to recognize any room for improvement which could alleviate
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Preparations of the Department of Education
According to the official statement of the government, (Official Gazette of the Republic
of the Philippines) adding two years in the basic education is making our education system at par
with the rest of the world. Before the implementation of the Senior High School, we are one of
the three countries in the world, with Angola and Djibouti as the other two, which has a 10 year
basic education program. The thirteen years of education makes us among the countries who
With our country having 2.4 million workers abroad (Philippine Statistics Authority,
2016), not being globally competitive with educational background means getting low paydays
at the end of the bargain. With such data, it is only imperative that the Philippines should adapt a
13 year basic education program. As this phenomenon is recognized by the Philippine Congress,
they submitted Republic Act 10533 entitled ―An Act Enhancing the Philippine Basic Education
System by Strengthening its Curriculum and Increasing the Number of Years for Basic
Education, Appropriating Funds Therefor and for Other Purposes.‖ This was signed into law by
President Benigno S. Aquino III on May 13, 2016. (Official Gazette of the Republic of the
Philippines)
A. Enrollment
According to the report of Mateo(2016) 1.4 million students finished Grade 10 last 2016
and from there Luistro relayed that, ―between 700,000 to 800,000 will be accommodated by the
public schools while at least 400,000 will be enrolled in state and local universities and colleges,
and private schools.‖ Despite the approximated 400,000 dropouts Luistro dispelled the
impression that Senior High School Program is to blame. He said, ―If you look at the historical
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numbers in the past two to three decades, for every graduate of former 4 th year high school, only
half of them even dared apply or enter into the next level college of technical school. Even
without the K-12 reform, the traditional numbers we have in the Philippines is half of them don’t
even take up the next level (Cruz, 2016). For those that cannot be accommodated by the public
school the Department subsidize them through the voucher program ranging from P8,750 to
With regards accessibility, the Deped Press Releases issued a statement that ensures
(Department of Education, 2016) SHS program offerings of 28,844 dispersed among 5,990
DepEd public schools nationwide. Aside from this, there are 28,991 SHS programs offered by
5,046 private schools, public and private universities and colleges, and technical-vocational
institutions nationwide.
B. Teachers
According to Quintas and Miasco (2016) DepEd started accepting applications from
teachers last January until February of 2016 wherein they are positive to reach their target of
37,000 teachers nationwide this 2016 alone for Senior High School. The department hires two
kinds of teachers: those who will teach the core subjects, and those who will teach the
As the curriculum is intended to narrow the gap between industry and the academe, the
Department of Education acquired the expertise of persons who actually practice the theories of
the curriculum. Others were instructors from Higher Educational Institutions who were displaced
due to the 2 years of no enrollments consequential of the launching of the Senior High School.
Due to these characteristics of new teachers a mass training was done in order to orient the newly
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hired of the approaches, strategies and the educational system of public school (DM 057 and 067
C. Curriculum
According to the press release of Department of Education (2014), since 2013 they have
been staging a series of workshops which included every region. In these occasions
representatives of all regions were brief on the SHS curriculum as well as a planning of actual
implementation per region . The reason behind this is conveyed by Rizalino Rivera,
Undersecretary for Regional Operations as he said, ―As we approach 2016 ( target launching)
we need to make sure that everyone in DepEd is on the same page,‖ adding that while DepEd
field offices have already been preparing since last 2013, it was necessary to share ideas and
best practices. Undersecretary for Programs and Projects Dina Ocampo presented the SHS
curriculum during a workshop in Baguio last 2014 as the Department’s vision is to have a
curriculum for learners and clarified that it was something that needed to be further developed
by those on the field. ―The best curricula are the ones that are contextualized by those
implementing it. What we’re presenting now is the ‘intended’ curriculum,‖ Ocampo
explained, adding that the regional offices were expected to adapt the curriculum to their
learners.
According to the Department of Education (2012) their years of preparation for the
curriculum of the Senior High School is to ensure that there will be significant improvements
as compared from the previous curriculum . With such the Official Gazette of the Republic of
the Philippines stated that the curriculum guides of Senior High School are all done and is
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available on the DepEd website. It is the first time in history that the entire curriculum is
When examined, the Senior High School curriculum contains several features that
emanate higher level of design and approaches. First, the K to 12 curriculum is decongested.
The new curriculum focuses on understanding for mastery and has removed the unnecessarily
transition between grade levels and continuum of competencies through spiral progression
where learning of knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes increases in depth and breadth.
There is also continuity of competencies and standards from elementary to secondary level
through a unified curriculum framework. The unified standards and competencies ensure
integration of what learners learn across grade levels and across learning areas for a more
meaningful learning.
21st century. Moreover, the curriculum responds to the needs of the community: an
agricultural town may offer agricultural elective courses; a coastal area, fishery elective
courses; an urban area, industrial arts. Learning will be systematically matched with labor
market requirements.
Moreover, the result of years of planning and workshop is worth all the efforts made.
Quintas and Miasco (2016) quote the Department of Education as it said that the Senior High
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School Curriculum is standards and competence-based, is inclusive and is built around the
needs of the learners and the community. The two years of Senior High School consists of two
facilitates four career tracks for students to choose from: Academic, Technical-Vocational-
The four different career tracks provide flexibility. Depending on the goals of the
student, as well as the community and industry requirements in a particular region, the Track
Subject Curriculum enhances the value and relevance of the high school diploma. Equally
important, the Core Subject Curriculum, remaining invariable for all schools, provides an
Certificates at the high school level, K-12 students—now of employable age upon
graduation—would already qualify for decent entry-level jobs. This also increases the
financial capabilities of high school graduates who desire to pursue advancement through
higher education.
Furthermore, the SHS curriculum also addresses the redundancy of college-level general
education programs, which presently cover material that should have already been mastered
at the pre-university level. This can result in higher education institutions being more focused
on the specifics of various degrees, rather that consuming so much of the first two years
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Thus, the two additional years will equip learners with skills that will better prepare
them for the future, whether it is employment, entrepreneurship, skills development (further
Some textbooks were already delivered while others are being bid out (Official
online portal with learner modules that are like online textbooks, which can be reprinted
by schools in case books have not been delivered yet (Department of Education, 2015).
There are also allocated computer package as part of the DepEd Computerization
Program (DCP) as listed in DM 106, s. 2015. On the tools and materials for Technical
Vocational and Livelihood track, the Central Office transfers funds to respective
Regional Offices, which, in turn, will procure the TVL tools and equipment based on the
E. Classrooms
According to Shahani (2015) DepEd said that it has constructed 27,499 classrooms to
cover the SHS implementation of 2016. This was done as DepEd in response to the fact
that every additional year in the basic education system requires 20,000 to 28,000 public
classrooms.
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Critique on the Preparations of Senior High School Program
I. Enrollment
statement implying that former Secretary Luistro’s opinion on the term dropout due to
(2016) in saying ―Luistro is dead wrong when he wants the people to celebrate this
year’s school opening. If there is anything that is correct in his statement, it is true that
implements a program that will lead to a million dropouts in just its first year of full
implementation.”
As proof of the number of dropouts Mateo (2016) stated that in Metro Manila,
only 181 public senior high schools were has SHS Program , with 574 non-DepEd
schools given permit to offer Grades 11 and 12 . As a result of the limitations of public
schools, low enrollment was observed in public high schools. For instance, Batasan
Hills, with more than 2,600 students who completed Grade 10 last March, only 89 have
enrolled for senior high. The school has a capacity rate of 670 Grade 11 students. In
Lagro, the school has 1,600 Grade 10 completers, but only 500 of the 800 senior high
school slots have been filled. The same case was recorded at the Commonwealth High
School, where only around 330 of 650 slots were filled. It had over 1,000 Grade 10
completers. Luistro said historic figures would show that former fourth year high school
If the statement of Luistro is true to its form, a conflicting scenario was faced by
Maria Noemi Moncada, principal of Lagro High School. She said some students who
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initially signified intention to enroll in private institutions ended up at their school.
Moncada said there were instances when parents who have vouchers from Deped still had
to pay once they enrolled their children in a private school. In connection with this,
incoming Kabataan party-list Rep. Sarah Elago emphasized the additional cost to parents
education for some, given the poverty situation hounding the country.
With regards accessible education Lagon (2015) shared his concern on the problem of
proximity. If the high school in an area will only offer Sports Track, then a local student
who wishes to take STEM strand still needs to spend time and money to enroll in a
relatively farther school just to take the chosen career path given that the high schools in
the provinces are many kilometers apart. Such may discourage students to pursue SHS
II. Teachers
Olete and Artuz (2016) quoted Anabelle Dela Cerna, the Teacher’s Dignity
Coalition Vice Chairwoman for Visayas as saying that teachers that are tasked in
handling SHS ―are not prepared and competent.” She added that she was dismayed in
learning that teachers will only be trained by less than a month. As she said, ―A coarse
that is basically very new to them but they need to learn for a short time because they
III. Curriculum
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Dr. Herman Lagon (2015), the assistant Principal of Ateneo de Iloilo, has contrary
beliefs to the claim of the Department of Education that one of the features of the SHS
curriculum is its being decongested. Apparently it has removed the unnecessary repeated
competencies. He relayed that the DepEd’s strict requirement on the 80 hours per subject
would mean 32.5 units per semester load (if translated in college vernacular) or 6.5
As quoted Dr. Lagon (2015) continued, ―some specialized subjects in the STEM
strand seem to be out of sync. Imagine future nurses or doctors forced to take calculus
and calculus based physics—subjects that are not required in their college prospectus. In
the other extreme, imagine our future civil, computer, electrical, or mechanical engineers
coerced to take higher biology. There appears to be some sort of a slipup when the
framers of the STEM program fail to impeccably consider alignment in the equation. But
such basic SHS principle has been partly abandoned when GAS strand was offered.‖
With such Dr. Lagon seems to be implying that the very reason of long curriculum
According to Quintas and Miasco (2016), the Senior High School Program has no
learning materials and textbooks for they are still bidding it out until the very moment. In
relation to this, Teachers for Dignity Coalition, is calling for the suspension of the
ready to implement it. As quoted Anabelle dela Cerna, TDC vice chairman for the
Visayas, said: "We are calling for the suspension of K to 12! We need to solve all the
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problems of the educational system then rigorously plan the new curriculum," Dela
Cerna added, ―books and learning materials for junior high school are not even
To clarify matters Tucay (2015) in her report added that the K-to-12 program
requires the printing of a minimum of 60 million textbooks, since textbooks designed for
the previous 10-year curriculum will be rendered obsolete. On this toll order, the final leg
belongs to the Senior High School Program. That is how prepared the Deped is regarding
Classrooms
According to Ibon Foundation (2016) they got information from an insider with
regards the Department of Education’s assurance that 1.5 million Grade 10 completers
double-shifting. Double-shifting refers to having two shifts of classes in one room each
day due to insufficient facilities. ―Hindi pa tapos yung ibang classrooms for SHS,‖
In a school in Metro Manila, classes did not start until July because the SHS
school building was under construction. In Central Visayas and Mindanao, schools are
obliged to share spaces such as classrooms, offices and gymnasiums with secondary
In Calamba, Laguna, a teacher relayed that there was a plan to construct a new
building on a vacant lot beside their school but it has not materialized. Thus, their Grade
10 completers had only three SHS-ready public schools in the vicinity to choose from,
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but these offered incomplete tracks. ―The private schools directly approached public
In order to delimit the purpose of this paper, it has to clarify first that it believes
on the need for our educational system to be at par with international standards. If this is
not done, this has its own share of repercussions to the nation. What this paper will focus
Education in relation to the first year of implementation of the Senior High School
Program. With that in mind, five facets of the implementation is put into scrutiny. The
two sides of the coin was already presented and with a discreet comparison of both
parties, this paper has found basis on the need to address the room for improvement on all
the five facets namely; enrollment, teachers, curriculum, textbooks and teaching guides,
and classrooms.
Enrollment
There are contradictory declaration in the number of possible enrollees for Senior
High School as shown in the statements of Deped when they are defending the K – 12 in
Congress and the weeks before or after the Senior High School launch last June 13. In
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students will enroll for Senior High School during their Basic Education Midterm Report‖
to Congress last March 2015. However come June 2016 during the launch of the Senior
High School it goes down to as low as 1.4 million (Mateo, 2016). This is important in order
to have a good approximation not only on the figures of enrollees but also of dropped outs.
Check and balance should be considered especially that lives of the next generation are on
the line. An independent monitoring could have prevented this doubtful scenario.
tracks in SHS appropriate for a potential talent. There is really the problem of proximity
more so in provinces where high schools are far apart. This happens because some tracks
are not offered in all schools. For example, let’s say a student of a poor household wanted
to enroll in cookery or computer hardware servicing. If the high school in an area will
only offer General Academic strand, the student will have to enroll in an expensive
private school where the student will still pay despite the voucher program. Or he could
travel several kilometers and spend time and money for transportation every day.
The K-12 should have decided what their priority is. If the need is to empower those
poverty stricken communities, they should let them be part of the solution by laying them
the strategic choices. Then if there are lots of students who are inclined in not continuing
their studies in college, the fund of the government should then focus on having the
tracks. Of course, there are few who will not want this track because they choose the
other tracks. But the point is, the common good of the majority is serve and the
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Teachers
Olete and Artuz (2016) share the sentiments of Dela Cerna in saying that the
teachers of Senior High School are ―not prepared and competent.” In fairness to the
Department of Education, there is a guideline in hiring Senior High School teachers (Deped
Order no. 3 series of 2016). There shall be a screening committee to ensure an impartial
Thus, it is expected that a Senior High School teacher can teach just like any other public
school teacher. Despite such capabilities, there is reason to believe that the short period of
training will affect in the performance of some but if they have the passion to teach they will
improve themselves. Most likely, the Department’s ace is on the resilience of the newly hired and
their innovativeness. The sad news is that these newly hired will have to compensate to whatever
Curriculum
curriculum, Lagon (2015) commented that the SHS curriculum is congested. From a
standpoint of someone who teaches the said curriculum, it can be said that they are both
right and there is no contradiction. The truth is as compared to New Secondary Education
Curriculum and the Revised Basic Education Curriculum, the Senior High School
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Lagon’s(2015) view that it is congested is based on the number of hours and the
contact time in college. This is a debatable issue between him and the Department of
Education for, of course, there is a difference between a high school students’ and a
If the congested and decongested issue is not definitive, the next point of Lagon is
very valid. The STEM strand has a very big loop hole. The curriculum has a calculus in
their curriculum while it is not even required to the courses leading to being doctors and
nurses. There is a student in Trece Martires City who was a consistent quiz bee contender
in Science during Junior High School that got a 70 in Pre-calculus while the student
Department of Education should have considered that there is a difference between the
Mathematics of Engineers and Doctors. Dr. Lagon knew it because he is the former
President and now one of the Advisers of the Mathematics Teachers Association of the
Philippines Iloilo Chapter, Inc. (MTAP-IC, Inc.) and currently the Assistant Principal of
7634) with subject of, ―Update No. 3 on the Procurement of Senior High School
Teaching and Learning Materials for the First Semester of School Year 2016-17‖ dated
June 6, 2016 there are 23 textbooks and 21 teacher’s materials expected to be delivered
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for the first semester which supposed to have ended on October 21, 2016. This
memorandum recognizes that the learning materials were not in the schools on June 5,
2016, barely 8 days before the launching of the Senior High School Program. The truth of
Classrooms
Analysis of the facts stated by the Department of Education and their critics has
shown the depth of the problem of the educational system. According to Tucay (2015)
there are 65,000 classroom shortages before the launch of Senior High School. Now after
the additional year of Senior High School additional classroom shortage of 20,000 must
be met. Additional 20,000 classrooms next year for the grade 12. It seems that the room
shortage is one step ahead of the building construction for the Department of Education.
Conclusion:
The problems facing the Senior High School requires us to do our share in making
it succeed for the future of the next generation. This paper did not intend to embarrass the
Department of Education. It revealed the true nature of the problems facing us in order to
remind the ones who are supposed to get the credit if ever they delivered what was
expected of them. Also it reminds those in the side line that the ones given the challenge
are also humans and the problems are bigger than their consolidated forces. In line with
this, sharing ones abilities whether in small things can lessen the burden of making
learning materials while books are still on its way. A tap in the shoulder can strengthen
a Senior High School teacher during their transition to an organization using all the space
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it could get in as many students not to mention the humidity. Another reminder is no one
References:
Cruz R. G. (2016), Deped preps for opening of Senior High School. Times of News.
http://philippines.timesofnews.com/ deped-preps-for-opening-of-senior-high-school
Department of Education (2014). Education officials prepare for Senior High School
implementation. http://www.deped.gov.ph/press-releases/education-officials-prepare-
senior-high-school-implementation
Department of Education (2015). Senior High School Manual of Operations Volume 1 Preparing
Senior High School Teaching and Learning Materials for the First Semester of School
7634.pdf
http://www.deped.gov.ph/sites/default/files/order/2016/DO_s2016_23_0.pdf page 1
Department of Education (2016). What has been done to get ready for K to 12
http://www.deped.gov.ph/k-to-12/faq
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Department of Education (2016). Deped Press Releases. http://www.deped.gov.ph/press-
releases/over-57000-senior-high-school-program-offerings-available-nationwide
http://www.deped.gov.ph/sites/default/files/order/2016/DO_s2016_03.pdf page 9
Ibon Foundation (2016). SHS: Public Funds for Private Gain Refrain. http://ibon.org/2016/06/
shs-public-funds-for-public-gain-refrain/
/iloilo-opinion/54120-shs-revolution-2
Mateo, Jonvic (2016). Up to .4 M due to Senior High School. The Philippine Star.http://www.
philstar.com/headlines/2016/06/14/1592807/400000-m-dropouts-due-senior-high
republic-act-no-10533/
Olete, Charmine Grace and Artuz, Patrocinio (2016). Teacher’s Readiness to SHS. Press Reader.
https://www.pressreader.com
Quintas, Kristine B. and Miasco, May B. (2016). K TO 12 Are we ready for Senior High?
ready-senior-high-conclusion
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Roxas, Joseph (2016) Deped 'Very Prepared' For Senior High School Roll Out. GMA News.
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/569355/news/nation/deped-very-prepared-for-
senior-high-school-roll-out#sthash.dBD1EUmA.dpuf
Tucay, Marjohara (2015). K-12: Who loses, who profits. Philippine Daily Inquirer.
http://opinion.inquirer.net/85551/k-12-who-loses-who-profits#ixzz4PmdoBbwB
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