SENATOR Jinggoy Estrada has filed a bill seeking to eliminate the senior high school (SHS) level from the K to 12 basic education program, citing its failure to deliver on its promised benefits. Senate Bill No. 3001 proposes the removal of SHS to “rationalize the country’s basic education system,” arguing that twelve years after the implementation of Republic Act No. 10533 (Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013), the program has yet to fully achieve its objectives.
Senator Estrada highlighted the added financial and time burden placed on students and their families by the two-year SHS program, questioning its continued justification.
The SHS program, originally intended to provide students with specialized training aligned with their interests, aimed to prepare them for higher education, employment, or entrepreneurship.
However, Estrada’s bill cites admissions by Department of Education officials acknowledging the program’s shortcomings. These include a congested curriculum, overworked teachers and students, and a low employment rate for SHS graduates, with only 10 percent entering the workforce, mostly in the informal sector. These shortcomings, according to the senator, necessitate a reevaluation of the program’s effectiveness and a potential restructuring of the basic education system.
The proposed legislation represents a significant challenge to the existing K to 12 framework.
The bill’s success will depend on its ability to garner sufficient support in the Senate and address concerns about the potential disruption to the education system and the implications for students already enrolled in SHS.
The debate surrounding the bill is likely to focus on the effectiveness of the current SHS program, the potential benefits and drawbacks of its removal, and the feasibility of alternative approaches to improving the quality and relevance of basic education in the Philippines.
