(Photo credit: BFP Taguig City)
QUEZON CITY (PIA) - The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has clarified on Monday, that the process of the closing of Senior High School offerings in government-run universities and colleges has been ongoing since 2021.
CHED Chairperson Popoy De Vera clarified in a press conference following the concerns expressed by the public on a memorandum issued on December 18, 2023 on the discontinuance of SHS offerings in state universities and colleges (SUCs) and local universities and colleges (LUCs).
“The reality on the ground, and I am really surprised why this became a very big issue because the closing down of senior high school offerings in public universities has been ongoing now for 3 years,” said Chair De Vera.
The Memorandum issued on December 18, 2023 (PAR 1) read as follows:
“This is to reiterate the decision of the Commission, through CMO Nos. 32 and 33, Series of 2015 and 2016, respectively, that engagement of SUCs and LUCs in basic education through Senior High School shall be limited to the K-12 transition period which is from SY 2016-2017 to SY 2020-2021 only….”
Why did CHED remind SUCs and LUCs to stop SHS offering?
- There is no more legal basis for government-run universities and colleges to have a SHS program. The offering of the SHS program in SUCs and LUCs was implemented during the transition period of the K to 12 program when there were no freshmen students to enter universities and colleges. The transition period ended in 2021.
- The K to 12 program is under the Department of Education (DepEd). DepEd is the body responsible for its distribution of vouchers.
Based on the data of the commission, there are currently no students negatively affected by the memorandum, but if there will be, the student may contact https://ched.gov.ph/central-office/ or visit any CHED office near you. (PIA-NCR)
