The Department of Education will extend its voucher program for 17,751 Grade 11 students enrolled in state and local universities and colleges to ensure that they finish their studies.
“To prevent any displacement of learners, the DepEd would like to announce that the Senior High School Voucher Program (SHSVP) will again be extended to Grade 11 learners currently enrolled in SUCs and LUCs for SY 2023-2024. Subsequently, they may also continue on as voucher beneficiaries to complete their Grade 12 studies come SY 2024-2025,” DepEd said in a statement.
The department said it will be executing a memorandum of agreement with the Commission on Higher Education to formalize the arrangement.
Last year, DepEd already announced that there should be no more Grade 11 voucher beneficiaries from SUCs and LUCs for SY 2023-2024.
“Despite this issuance, however, our records show that several SUCs and LUCs still accepted Grade 11 learners for the current school year,” it said.
“Finally, to avoid a similar situation going forward, we would like to remind our SUCs and LUCs that DepEd will no longer be extending the SHSVP to Grade 11 learners in their schools beginning SY 2024-2025. Hence, the acceptance of new Senior High School learners by SUCs and LUCs shall only be made in accordance with their charters and charged to their respective funds,” DepEd added.
During a hearing of the House of Representatives committee on basic education and culture, DepEd spokesman Michael Poa said: “The Vice President has already given out instructions that DepEd, because of this situation of having 17,751 learners in Grade 11, DepEd, will again be extending our voucher program.”
Based on CHED data, 53 out of 103 SUCs have stopped offering Grade 11, while 52 already halted Grade 12.
Meanwhile, 104 out of 114 LUCs are no longer offering Grade 11, while 97 have ceased having Grade 12.