Abolishing Senior High School Education Act

Senate - Office of tie seriatare TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session ) 25 AUG 27 P5:27 SENATE S. No. 1297 RECEIVED BY: Introduced by Senator Robinhood Padilla AN ACT RESTRUCTURING THE PHILIPPINE BASIC EDUCATION SYSTEM BY ABOLISHING THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION, AMENDING PERTINENT PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10533, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "ENHANCED BASIC EDUCATION ACT OF 2013" AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 1, Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution mandates the State to "protect

and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all." In pursuit of this constitutional directive, Republic Act No. 10533, otherwise known as the "Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013," was enacted. The law aimed to establish a functional basic education system that produces productive and responsible citizens equipped with essential competencies, skills, and values for lifelong learning and gainful employment. The K to 12 program was envisioned to align the Philippine education system with global standards. It sought to ensure that Filipino graduates would be academically and professionally competitive, thereby eliminating the need for additional years of high school for those seeking to pursue higher education abroad, and enhancing the employability of graduates in the global workforce. More than a decade since its implementation, however, the K to 12 program remains the subject of public discourse and policy review. The program, while well-

intentioned, has raised concerns, particularly in the context of the country's prevailing socio-economic conditions. Among the issues identified are: a. Financial burden - The additional two years of Senior High School have imposed considerable financial strain on families, especially those living below the poverty threshold, due to added costs such as tuition, transportation, school supplies, and uniforms; b. Increased drop-out rates - The economic pressure associated with the extended years of schooling has led to a rise in student dropouts, particularly among those from disadvantaged backgrounds, thereby undermining the program's goal of inclusive education; and c. Curriculum effectiveness - There are continuing concerns that the current Senior High School curriculum may still fall short in adequately preparing students for employment or higher education, thereby necessitating further review and improvement. The implementation of the K to 12 program must be continually assessed in light of the lived realities of Filipino families. It is imperative that education policies be responsive to economic disparities and inclusive of mechanisms that mitigate financial barriers to completion. This proposed measure seeks to amend Republic Act No. 10533 by removing the Senior High School component from the basic education curriculum. While recognizing the importance of educational reform, this representation remains hopeful that the government can adopt alternative strategies and design programs that are effective, efficient, inclusive, and equitable-serving the best interests of Filipino children and youth without the added burden of two additional years of schooling. In view of the foregoing, approval of this measure is earnestly sought. ROBINHOOD PADILLA Senator

Senate ease Offier of the Ex cetary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) First Regular Session 25 AUG 27 P5:27 SENATE S. No. 1297 RECEIVED BY: Introduced by Senator Robinhood Padilla AN ACT RESTRUCTURING THE PHILIPPINE BASIC EDUCATION SYSTEM BY ABOLISHING THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION, AMENDING PERTINENT PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10533, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "ENHANCED BASIC EDUCATION ACT OF 2013" AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Abolishing Senior High

2 School Education Act".

Sec. 2. Section 4 of Republic Act No. 10533 otherwise known as the "Enhanced

4 Basic Education Act of 2013" shall be amended to read as follows: "SEC. 4. [Enhanced] SIMPLIFIED Basic Education Program. — The [enhanced] SIMPLIFIED basic education program encompasses at least one (1) year of kindergarten education, six (6) years of elementary education, and [six (6)] FOUR (4) years of secondary education, in that sequence. [Secondary education includes four (4) years of junior high school and two (2) years of senior high school education.] Kindergarten education shall mean one (1) year of preparatory education for children at least five (5) years old as a prerequisite for Grade I.

Elementary education refers to the second stage of compulsory basic education which is composed of six (6) years. The entrant age to this level is typically six (6) years old. Secondary education refers to the third stage of compulsory basic education. It consists of four (4) years of Eunior] high school education [and two (2) years of senior high scheol education]. The entrant age to the [junior and senior] high school level [s are] IS typically twelve (12) [and sixteen (16)] years old [, respectively]." "x XX."

Sec. 3. Section 5 of Republic Act No. 10533 is hereby further amended to read

as follows: "SEC. 5. Curriculum Development. - The DepED shall formulate the design and details of the [enhanced] SIMPLIFIED basic education curriculum. It shall work with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to craft harmonized basic and tertiary curricula for the global competitiveness of Filipino graduates. To ensure college readiness and to avoid remedial and duplication of basic education subjects, the DepED shall coordinate with the CHED and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). To achieve an effective [enhanced] SIMPLIFIED basic education curriculum, the DepED shall undertake consultations with other national government agencies and other stakeholders including, but not limited to, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), the private and public schools associations, the national student organizations, the national teacher organizations, the parents-teachers associations and the chamber of commerce on matters affecting the concerned stakeholders. The DepED shall adhere to the following standards and principles in developing the [enhanced] SIMPLIFIED basic education curriculum: (a) xxx;

XXX."

Sec. 4. Section 7 of Republic Act No. 10533 is hereby further amended to read

as follows: "SEC. 7. Teacher Education and Training. - To ensure that the [enhanced] SIMPLIFIED basic education program meets the demand for quality teachers and school leaders, the DepED and the CHED, in collaboration with relevant partners in government, academe, industry, and nongovernmental organizations, shall conduct teacher education and training programs, as specified: (a) In-service Training on Content and Pedagogy - Current DepED teachers shall be [re] trained to meet the content and performance standards of the [new K to 12] BASIC EDUCATION curriculum. The DepED shall ensure that private education institutions shall be given the opportunity to avail of such training. (b) Training of New Teachers. - New graduates of the current Teacher Education curriculum shall undergo additional training, upon hiring, to upgrade their skills to the content standards of the [new] curriculum. Furthermore, the CHED, in coordination with the DepED and relevant stakeholders, shall ensure that the Teacher Education curriculum offered in these Teacher Education Institutes (TEIs) will meet necessary quality standards for new teachers. Duly recognized organizations acting as TEls, in coordination with the DepED, the CHED, and other relevant stakeholders, shall ensure that the curriculum of these organizations meet the necessary quality standards for 5 trained teachers. (c) xXx."

Sec. 5. Section 10 of Republic Act No. 10533 is hereby further amended to read

as follows:

"SEC. 10. Expansion of E-GASTPE Beneficiaries. - The benefits accorded by Republic Act No. 8545, or the 'Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act, shall be extended to qualified students enrolled under the [enhanced] SIMPLIFIED basic education. [The DepED shall engage the services of private education institutions and non DepED schools offering senior high schoet through the programs under Republic Act No. 8545, and other financial arrangements formulated by the DepED and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) based on the principles of public private partnership. ]"

Sec. 6. Section 11 of Republic Act No. 10533 is hereby further amended to read

as follows: "SEC. 11. Appropriations. —The Secretary of Education shall include in the Department's program the operationalization of the [enhanced] SIMPLIFIED basic education program, the initial funding of which shall be charged against the current appropriations of the DepED. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continued implementation of the [enhanced] SIMPLIFIED basic education program shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act."

Sec. 7. Section 12 of Republic Act No. 10533 is hereby further amended to read

as follows: "SEC. 12. Transitory Provisions. — The DepED, the CHED and the TESDA shall formulate the appropriate strategies and mechanisms needed to ensure smooth transition from the existing [ten (10) years basic education cycle to the] enhanced basic education (K to 12) cycle TO THE SIMPLIFIED BASIC EDUCATION. The strategies may cover changes in physical infrastructure, manpower, organizational and structural concerns, bridging models linking grade 10 OR FORTH YEAR HIGH SCHOOL competencies and the entry requirements of new tertiary curricula, and partnerships

between the government and other entities. [Modeling for senior high school may be implemented in selected schools to simulate the transition process and provide concrete data for the transition plan.] [To manage the initial implementation of the enhanced basic education program and mitigate the expected multi year low enrolment turnout for HEIs and Technical Vocational Institutions (TVIs) starting School Year 2016-2017, t] The DepED shall CONTINUE TO engage in partnerships with HEls and TVIs for the utilization of the latter's human and physical resources. Moreover, the DepED, the CHED, the TESDA, the TVIS and the HEis shall coordinate closely with one another to implement strategies that ensure the academic, physical, financial, and human resource capabilities of HEIs and TVIs to provide educational and training services for graduates of the [enhanced] SIMPLIFIED basic education program to ensure that they are not adversely affected. The faculty of HEIs and TVIs allowed to teach students of secondary education under Section 8 hereof, shall be given priority in hiring for the duration of the transition period. For this purpose, the transition period shall be provided for in the implementing rules and regulations (IRR)."

Sec. 8. Section 13 of Republic Act No. 10533 is hereby further amended to read

as follows: "SEC. 13. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the [Enhanced] SIMPLIFIED Basic Educational Program [(K to 12 Program)]. - There is hereby created a Joint Oversight Committee to oversee, monitor and evaluate the implementation of this Act. The Oversight Committee shall be composed of five (5) members each from the Senate and from the House of Representatives, including Chairs of the Committees on BASIC Education [Arts-and], Culture AND THE ARTS, and Finance of

both Houses. The membership of the Committee for every House shall have at least two (2) opposition or minority members."

Sec. 9. Section 14 of Republic Act No. 10533 is hereby further amended to read

as follows: "SEC. 14. Mandatory Evaluation and Review. — [By the end of School Year 20142015] THREE (3) YEARS AFTER THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACT, the DepED shall conduct a mandatory review and submit a midterm report to Congress as to the status of implementation of the [K to 12] SIMPLIFIED BASIC EDUCATION program in terms of closing the following current shortages: (a) teachers; (b) classrooms; (c) textbooks; (d) seats; (e) toilets; and (f) other shortages that should be addressed. xXX."

Sec. 10. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held

unconstitutional or invalid, all other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid.

Sec. 11. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, issuances,

17 rules and regulations or parts thereof which are contrary to and inconsistent with this 18 Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

Sec. 12. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation in 21 the Philippines. Approved,