Over 5,800 public schools set to offer Senior HS in 2016

After years of rigorous planning and consultations with education stakeholders, the Department of Education (DepEd) has identified and mapped more than 5,800 public schools set to offer Senior High School (SHS) in 2016 nationwide as part of its continued preparations for the full implementation of the K to 12 program.

Over the last several years, division personnel field office personnel and school heads have been continuously collaborating with their respective communities, local chief executives, legislators, industry partners, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders for SHS preparations.

Factors such as the availability of buildable space and school sites, community realities, local development plans, parents’ and students’ preferences, and the current and future needs of local industries were taken into consideration in the identification and preparations to establish SHSs.

DepEd Secretary Br. Armin Luistro FSC said that one of the key objectives during the SHS planning at the local levels is each and every one who completes Junior High School (Grade 10) must have access to a Senior High School. “Wala pong munisipyo, kahit gaano kaliit, ang mawawalan ng Senior High School,” Luistro added.

Luistro cited Tiwi, Albay as one of the examples. The said municipality has three DepEd schools that will offer SHS. The second one was Daraga, Albay, where eight (8) DepEd SHS and five (5) possible private schools will offer SHS. The Cotabato division will also have as many as 59 DepEd SHS. There are also 22 private schools and two state universities and colleges (SUCs) that showed interest and capacity to offer SHS in the Cotabato division. 

The education chief said, “This has been mapped all the way to the program offerings until the maximum number of students that can be accommodated—not only in the DepEd schools but also in the private schools, HEIs, and SUCs.”

Designed to ensure that basic education graduates are equipped and ready for employment, entrepreneurship, or higher learning further education and training in universities, colleges, and other institutions, the SHS program has attracted partnership interests from various industry and business groups nationwide.