THE Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (Scap), the broadest formation of student councils and organizations nationwide, stands in full solidarity with the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), the CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Catholic Education, and the growing consensus from civil society, the Church, and even the private sector and business community in opposing all efforts to abolish the Senior High School (SHS) program. We raise our collective voice in the call: Reform, not repeal.
We likewise commend the support of major academic institutions behind this unified call for K to 12 reform—not rollback—including Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, Miriam College, Xavier University, University of the Assumption, University of Pangasinan, Southwestern University, Araullo University, and Iloilo University.
While Senate Bill No. 3001, which previously proposed the removal of SHS, did not prosper in the 19th Congress, Senator Jinggoy Estrada is now refining and prioritizing this measure as part of his Top 10 bills for the 20th Congress. SCAP has already called out Senator Estrada in a previous statement for proposing this misguided move, and his renewed effort to dismantle SHS ignores the root causes of the education crisis and risks reversing hard-won progress in student access, work readiness, and college preparation.
“We’ll say it again: abolishing SHS is not a fix — it’s a failure to confront the deepening education crisis with problems of underfunding, weak implementation, and the continued exclusion of student voices in policymaking,” said Angela Diamartin, SCAP National Chairperson. “The answer isn’t to tear it down, it’s to build it better and more equitably. Reform is what students deserve, not retreat—because at the end of the day, we are the ones who will suffer more.”
Scap affirms that improving SHS is not only an urgent need—it is also a strategic part of our Education 10-Point Agenda crafted by students, specifically Point VIII: Modernize Curriculum to Align with Socio-Economic Realities and Advance Differentiated Curriculum for Diverse Learners. We believe that curriculum reform must respond to the rapidly changing world, bridge education with employment, and honor the unique contexts of Filipino learners.
In line with this, Scap calls on legislators and education leaders to act on the following reforms: Expand the SHS Voucher Program to ensure no student is left behind; Align the curriculum with socio-economic realities and provide meaningful work immersion for all; Upskill and support SHS teachers across public and private institutions; Institutionalize student participation in education policymaking; Strengthen public-private partnerships to close gaps and improve delivery.
Diamartin emphasized that the problem lies not in the vision of SHS, but in its flawed execution — one that demands urgent, inclusive, and student-centered reform.
Scap also echoes the other sector’s warning: dismantling SHS and the K-12 program would be anti-poor. With studies showing that over 90% of Grade 4 students struggle with reading comprehension, what we need is to reinforce the education system, not regress.
“To abandon the SHS program is to abandon the promise of a better future for millions of Filipino learners,” Diamartin added. “We urge Senator Jinggoy and our other lawmakers in the House and the Senate to shelve any proposal to repeal SHS and instead work with students and education stakeholders to make it finally work for all.”
- Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (Scap)