Gatchalian to education agencies: Work closely to review senior high school curriculum

Senator Win Gatchalian wants the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to work more closely in reviewing the senior high school program and ensuring the smooth transition of K to 12 graduates.

Gatchalian is eyeing to include a review mechanism involving the three agencies in his Batang Magaling Act (Senate Bill No. 2022). The proposed measure seeks to strengthen collaboration among the DepEd, local government units, academic communities, and industry partners to address the mismatch of K to 12 graduates and the demands of the labor market.

"We can embed into the bill a mechanism for the three agencies to review the senior high school curriculum. We can make the review more cohesive and make meetings more frequent, so there is some output that will guide and educate us policymakers," said Gatchalian.

He pointed to the difficulties encountered by senior high school graduates who pursue higher education but whose transition to college are not seamless. According to a tracer study by DepEd, top issues encountered by senior high school graduates who pursue higher education include difficulty and non-crediting of subjects, among others.

To address these difficulties, some higher education institutions implement bridging programs, which entails more cost for the students and their families. Gatchalian also flagged that the implementation of bridging programs is uneven because not all universities and colleges offer them.

For the lawmaker, these findings reveal that while around 80% of senior high school students pursue higher education, they are still not college ready. Gatchalian said that this outcome is the opposite of what the K to 12 promised to make its graduates employable and college ready.

The Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education also raised that not all courses offered by the DepEd have accreditation from TESDA. Gatchalian reiterated that this is a dead end for learners who took the Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) track but do not have certification, which could have boosted their chances of being employed.

Maigting na pagrepaso ng senior high school curriculum isinusulong ni Gatchalian

Nais ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang mas maigting na ugnayan sa pagitan ng Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), at Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) upang repasuhin ang senior high school program at tiyakin ang maayos na transition ng K to 12 graduates. Nais ng senador na gawing bahagi ng inihain niyang Batang Magaling Act (2022) ang isang mekanismo ng pag-aaral sa pagitan ng tatlong ahensya. Sa ilalim ng panukalang batas, paiigtingin din ang ugnayan sa pagitan ng DepEd, local government units, mga paaralan, at mga katuwang mula sa pribadong sektor upang tugunan ang mismatch sa pagitan ng K to 12 graduates at ang mga kailangan o demand ng labor market.

"Maaari nating gawing bahagi ng panukalang batas ang mekanismo upang pag-aralan ng tatlong ahensya ang senior high school curriculum. Maaari nating gawing mas maigting ang pag-aaral at gawing mas madalas ang mga pagpupulong, at gamitin ang mga resulta ng pag-aaral upang magabayan tayong mga policymakers," ani Gatchalian.

Tinukoy niya ang ilan sa mga hamong kinakaharap ng mga senior high school graduates sa pagpasok sa kolehiyo ngunit nahihirapan sa kanilang pagpasok. Ayon sa isang tracer study ng DepEd, kabilang sa mga hamong kinakaharap ng mga senior high school graduates na pumapasok sa kolehiyo ang hindi pag-credit sa kanilang mga subjects. Upang matugunan ang mga hamong ito, may ilang mga pamantasan at kolehiyo na nagpapatupad ng mga bridging program. 'Yun nga lang dagdag gastos na naman ito sa mga mag-aaral at kanilang mga pamilya. Bukod dito, hindi lahat ng mga kolehiyo at pamantasan sa bansa ay merong ganitong programa. Sabi ni Gatchalian, lumalabas na bagama't 80% ng mga senior high school graduates ang nagpapatuloy sa kolehiyo, hindi pa rin sila handa para rito. Taliwas ito sa pangako ng K to 12 na gawing handa para sa trabaho at kolehiyo ang mga nagtapos nito.

Pinuna rin ng Chairperson ng Senate Committee on Basic Education na hindi lahat ng mga kursong inaalok ng DepEd ay may accreditation mula sa TESDA. Ani Gatchalian, nagiging dead end ito para sa mga kumuha ng Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) track na hindi nakakakuha ng certification. Isang malaking balakid, aniya, sa paghahanap nila ng trabaho.