STREAMLINE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, SHORTEN COLLEGE, GATCHALIAN TELLS DEPED, CHED

SENATOR Win Gatchalian urged the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to collaborate in harmonizing the senior high school (SHS) program to shorten the number of years in college.

Gatchalian recalled that during the deliberations on the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 (Republic Act No. 10533) or the K to 12 Law, it was promised that two more years of high school would result in fewer years of college. The senator pointed out that this has not materialized.

The Year Two Report of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) flagged low proficiency levels among SHS students based on below-proficient National Achievement Test (NAT) 2022 scores for Grade 12.

Gatchalian added that because senior high school graduates do not end up being college-ready, higher education institutions still needed to implement bridging programs, which did not help in reducing the number of years in college. Gatchalian sought the removal of these bridging programs.

“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, chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.

“Mahalagang pag-usapan at pag-isipan ito nang maigi ng DepEd at CHED. Pagsikapan nating mapababa ang bilang ng taon sa kolehiyo upang makapagtapos na sila agad at makapagtrabaho na sila agad,” Gatchalian added.