SLT 1246
January 6-12, 2024
State universities and colleges (SUCs), and local universities and colleges (LUCs) under the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) who were allowed to offer senior high school during the K-12 transition period from school year (SY) 2016-2017 to SY 2020-2021 were recently directed by the CHEd to stop their senior high school program.
In an interview, Dr. Genis Murallos, Maasin City Superindent of the Department of Education, however, said that the national high schools and schools who have programs under DepEd supervision will still continue to offer senior high school, such as Maasin Christian Academy, The College of Maasin (CM), and Saint Joseph College. This was also confirmed by CM President Rev. Dr. Zuriel Tiempo.
These SUCs and LUCs have earlier been notified to stop enrolling Grade 11 students starting SY 2023-2024. The CHEd memorandum issued by Chairperson Prospero De Vera III states,
“The Department of Education has already issued a notice, through Private Education Assistance Committee, that beginning SY 2023-2024, there should be no more Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education and Teachers in Private Education beneficiaries from SUCs/LUCs, except those who will be entering Grade 12 in SY 2023-2024 to finish their basic education and that SUCS and LUCs with laboratory school can accept those enrolled but will no longer receive vouchers.”
Likewise, the Department of Education (DepEd) issued Order No. 2023-020 on July 26, a month before the start of the current school year of 2023-2024, that there would be no more financial assistance to the senior high school voucher program among state and local universities and colleges—except for Grade 12 students in that school year.
The engagement should have been limited to a five-year transition period covering school years 2016 to 2021, but the program was extended due to the pandemic, according to CHEd sources.
CHEd Chief De Vera said that the SUCs and LUCs “need to use their facilities for college and university programs and students.”
The CHEd memorandum also stated, “For SUCs with laboratory school, present to the Board the financial implication of notice from the Department of Education as to non-issuance of vouchers for senior high school enrollees in SUCs and compliance with CMO No. 32 series of 2015 which provides the following the transition period, the laboratory schools shall cap enrollment to 750 students.”
DepEd Undersecretary Michael Wesley Poa also clarified misconceptions on the issue of the stoppage of senior high, as he emphasized that senior high school would not be removed from the K-12 program. (GMReyes)