PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has expressed frustration over the country’s Senior High School (SHS) program, saying it brings “no advantage” to students or their parents.
In the second episode of the BBM Podcast, Marcos echoed the sentiments of Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, who earlier called for the removal of SHS under the K to 12 program.
“It’s just expressing the same frustration that I expressed in the first place. It’s costing more for the parents kasi nadagdagan ng two years pa... magmamatrikula pa 'yan, maraming school supplies, libro… Sa ten years, wala namang advantage, wala namang naging advantage, hindi naman nakukuha sa trabaho, e. That's his frustration, that's also my frustration,” said Marcos.
(“It’s costing more for the parents because two more years were added... they have to pay tuition, buy more school supplies, books… In the ten years, there’s been no advantage, there’s been no real benefit, graduates still don’t get jobs. That’s his frustration, and it’s mine too.”)
“So, we’ll see what the Congress will do. But while the law is still K to 12, basta’t ang sinabi ko kay (Department of Education Secretary) Sonny Angara, pagandahin natin nang husto habang nandiyan pa 'yan,” he added.
(“As long as the law remains K to 12, I told [DepEd Secretary] Sonny Angara, let’s improve it as much as possible while it’s still in place.”)
“Kasi madalas nating naririnig, ‘mismatch kasi ‘yung skills ko, hindi employable,’ ‘magaling ako magganito, hindi naman nila kailangan,’” Marcos said.
(“Because what we often hear is, ‘There’s a mismatch, my skills aren’t employable,’ or ‘I’m good at this, but no one needs it.’”)
To address the issue of skills mismatch, Marcos said the government has partnered with the private sector to help SHS graduates find employment.
“We asked them (private sector), ‘Ano ba ang kailangan ninyong skills, klaseng trabahador para ma-employ sa inyo?’ In fairness, the private sector went even one step further — gusto niyo kami na magpatakbo ng training tapos paglabas na sa training, may trabaho sila sa amin,” Marcos said.
(“We asked them, ‘What skills and kinds of workers do you need to hire?’ In fairness, the private sector went a step further — they offered to conduct training themselves and hire those who complete it.”)
Marcos also vowed continued support for improving the country's education system.
He noted the importance of supporting teachers and easing their workload by hiring more educators and administrative staff. He also underscored the need for teacher training and re-education, particularly in light of technological advancements.
The President added that more classrooms would be built to address the ongoing classroom shortage nationwide.
In August 2024, Marcos ordered the rationalization of the SHS curriculum to ensure graduates are equipped to obtain high-quality jobs.
Angara previously admitted there were lapses in the implementation of the SHS program.
“Masyadong marami ang subjects at nakahon masyado ang mga bata. Hindi sila nakakapili ng subject/s,” Angara said.
(“There are too many subjects, and the students are too boxed in. They don’t get to choose their subjects.”)
Angara said they are now looking to reduce the current average of 22 subjects per academic track by making some subjects optional or elective.
Last week, Estrada filed Senate Bill 3001, which seeks to remove the additional two years of SHS.
The bill proposes the reimplementation of the old education structure: one year of kindergarten, six years of elementary, and four years of secondary education.
Estrada argued that Republic Act 10533, or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, failed to achieve its goals despite being in place for the past 12 years.
He said the program has only cost students and parents both time and money without delivering on its promises. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)