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SHS implementation exceeds expectations: DepEd

By Ma. Teresa Montemayor

May 11, 2018, 8:33 am

<p>SHS IMPLEMENTATION UPDATES. Department of Education Secretary Leonor Briones, together with other officials, gives updates on the Senior High School program in a press conference at DepEd-Central Office in Pasig City on Thursday (May 10, 2018). <em>(Photo courtesy of DepEd)</em></p>

SHS IMPLEMENTATION UPDATES. Department of Education Secretary Leonor Briones, together with other officials, gives updates on the Senior High School program in a press conference at DepEd-Central Office in Pasig City on Thursday (May 10, 2018). (Photo courtesy of DepEd)

MANILA -- The two-year implementation of Senior High School (SHS) program has exceeded expectations despite many challenges, Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones said on Thursday.

In a press briefing, Briones explained the "overwhelming" result of the program was brought about by the "firm support of President Rodrigo Duterte, the Cabinet and the stakeholders."

She said the proportion of Grade 10 completers who proceeded to Grade 11 registered an impressive 93 percent compared to the transition rate of 4th year high school graduates to college, which consistently went below 50 percent from 2016 to 2018.

"Also it seemed that the SHS program has encouraged those who dropped out to return to school. Perhaps, there was a realization that someone who finishes senior high school would have better chances of entering the university, college, and better chances of finding a job...so napakalaking increase sa tinatawag nating balik-aral (there is a big increase in what we call return to school)," she added.

Briones said that DepEd has provided either free or highly subsidized SHS education to some 2,733,460 learners in public and private schools and supplemented the free public school system with financial subsidies amounting to a total of PHP21,567,932,876 in SY 2017-2018.

Only 38 percent of the 1.2 million SHS learners took the Technical-Vocational track and decided to seek employment after graduation, she added.

"Recent TV show and articles say considering the state of the economy the senior high graduates may not find jobs at all...we'd like to believe that our graduates have better prospects than other applicants who didn't go to senior high because of the work immersion feature for the Tech-Voc program," she said.

While industry leaders hesitated to hire the first batch of SHS graduates, Briones said they eventually changed their minds.

"They say they are too young, immature and they are not properly trained but they have changed their minds because we pointed out to them that the SHS graduates are equivalent to second year college students of the earlier program. Mas mature, trained na, kilala na nila at nakakapili pa sila kaysa sa applicants at saka sila na mismo ang nag-train (More mature, trained already, they know them and they can choose compared to applicants and they trained the students themselves," she said.

Following the rules and regulations of the Civil Service Commission (CSC), Briones explained that the real challenge is with the government.

"The CSC rules provide that those who join the civil service must not only have civil service eligibilities but they must also be college graduates but during the Cabinet meeting...last Monday, they were all saying that they're all willing to accept our senior high school completers," she said.

DepEd Assistant Secretary Nepomuceno Malaluan said DepEd met with CSC Chairperson Alicia dela Rosa-Bala and discussed the qualification standards for teachers and other government officials.

"They will be reviewing now the qualification standards for entry-level positions that will all K12 graduates to be hired by the government. If you look at the government itself it's the biggest employer also so just like the private sector they will be revisiting their hiring policy," Malaluan added. (With Jomari Castigador-OJT/PNA)

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