Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday urged the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to streamline the senior high school (SHS) curriculum and shorten the time needed for college.
“The entire system promised that when we move to K-12, college will be shortened so that the overall duration of schooling would not be extended by an additional two years,” said Gatchalian, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Basic Education.
He pointed out that this reduction has not materialized, leaving students with a longer educational journey.
The Year Two Report of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) highlighted low proficiency levels among SHS students, citing below-proficient scores in the 2022 National Achievement Test for Grade 12.
Gatchalian noted that since many SHS graduates are not adequately prepared for college, universities and colleges continue to implement bridging programs.
He argued that these programs, meant to help students catch up, defeat the original goal of shortening college.
The senator noted that the current system forces students to spend additional years in education without gaining a significant advantage.
“It’s important for DepEd and CHED to carefully discuss and think this through. Let’s work to reduce the number of years in college so that students can graduate sooner and start working sooner,” he concluded.
The K to 12 Program was introduced to align the Philippine education system with international standards and improve students’ readiness for higher education or employment.
DepEd has recently proposed revising the SHS curriculum, considering a reduction from four tracks to two, to simplify the program and better prepare students for college or jobs.