Manila: The Senate Basic Education Committee Chairperson welcomed on Thursday the Department of Education's (DepEd) plan to overhaul the Senior High School (SHS) curriculum, citing it as an encouraging move amid declining public dissatisfaction on the K to 12 program.
According to Philippines News Agency, the hearing comes amid Pulse Asia survey results showing dissatisfaction with the SHS program dropped to 40 percent in March 2025 from 48 percent in June 2024. Meanwhile, satisfaction stood at 33 percent. Dissatisfaction with the broader K to 12 system likewise fell to 42 percent, down from a peak of 52 percent in September 2023.
'The good news there is dissatisfaction is going down,' panel Chairperson Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said. 'If we continue the trend, hopefully in the next few years, we will see more people happier and satisfied with our K-12 and Senior High School program.'
During the hearing, DepEd officials presented the redesigned SHS framework, centered on four reform pillars - streamlining subject tracks, expanding student choice, aligning education with labor market demands, and creating stackable and seamless learning pathways.
Among the key changes are the reduction in the number of SHS tracks from four to two, core subjects will also be cut down, and strands will be reorganized into 'clusters' of academic, technical-vocational, and tech-pro electives. Students will be allowed to take up to two electives outside their cluster under a new 'doorway option.'
Work immersion hours will significantly increase, from 80 to 320 hours, and up to 640 hours for specific programs. Time allotments per subject will also be revised. DepEd said the initiative also aims to 'harness the totality of the Filipino' by producing employment-ready graduates, streamlining the curriculum, enhancing immersion programs, and supporting certification for Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) completers.
The pilot rollout of the new SHS curriculum is scheduled for SY 2025-2026, with full nationwide implementation targeted for the following year.