An official of the regional office of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED 11) on Friday bared that the proposed discontinuance of the Senior High School (SHS) program in local and state universities and colleges (LUCs and SUCs) will not affect students in the Davao Region.
“I am very happy that here in Davao Region walang SUCs or LUCs na nag implement ng program therefore walang students na affected because of this transition,” Dr. Christopher Pio O. Pulido, supervising education program specialist of CHED 11, said during the Kapihan sa PIA at NCCC Victoria Plaza on Friday.
He explained that it is only Davao Oriental State University in the Davao Region that implemented senior high school during the transition period, however, but stopped offering senior high in SY 2020.
The K to 12 system program transition was implemented between 2016 and 2021.
“Basically, walang students here in Davao Region that are affected by the directive ng central office,” he said.
In a memo dated December 18, 2023, CHED said it is ceasing the SHS program in SUCs and LUCs.
According to the data of the Department of Education (DepEd), there are around 17,751 Grade 11 students enrolled in SUCs and LUCs. Currently, there are 2,030,451 Grade 12 students enrolled in state colleges.
Pulido clarified that CHED has no power to abolish the K-12 program.
“Ang sinasabi lang ng CHED is i-discontinue ang offering ng SHS sa mga SUCs and LUCs. Dili kay ang SHS gyud per se ang i-undang kay walay authority ang CHED nga i-stop ang SHS kay Republic Act siya,” he explained.
Pulido also emphasized that the discontinuance of offering of SHS in SUCs and LUCs should have ended in 2020 and 2021.
“Kasi if we try to look at the history during the K to 12 transition, particularly on the first year of implementation of the K to 12 medyo nagkulang ng faculty members or teachers and itong facilities at DepEd. Remember nagdagdag tayo ng dalawang taon the senior high under the Department of Education so we could see there is this difference wherein may years na nawalan ang higher education then nadagdagan ang basic education. They need the help of higher education institutions particularly government universities and colleges, kaya pumasok ang mga SUCs on the first year of the implementation, however, right now wala ng taon na walang istudyante. Because of that the K to 12 transition is already over,” Pulido said.
CHED had an agreement also with DepEd in 2015 which allowed LUCs and SUCs to offer an SHS program from school years (SY) 2016-2017 until 2020-2021 to help address capacity issues.
Pulido believed the major reason is the DepEd Order wherein they will stop providing vouchers in Grade 11 and the vouchers will be given only to Grade 12.
“That prompted the higher education institution SUCs who will pay for that because right now yung mga SUCs natin because of RA 10931 they’re not collecting any fees sa mga bata because of the Free Higher Education Act. Sa college they won’t be collecting any fees pero sa senior high they will be collecting fees,” he said.
RA No. 10931 is also known as the “Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act”.
