Gatchalian slams government policy on hiring K to 12 senior high school graduates

Senator Win Gatchalian has slammed the government's policy on the hiring of K to 12 senior high school graduates, calling it a great disservice to learners and their families who had to shoulder the financial burden of two more years of high school.

In a public hearing on the Batang Magaling Act (Senate Bill No. 2022), Gatchalian flagged that under the Civil Service Commission's (CSC) Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 12 s. 2019, government corporations and agencies that accept high school graduates do not make a distinction between those who graduated from senior high school and those who graduated from the old ten-year system of basic education.

For Gatchalian, this policy goes to show that for senior high school graduates who want to apply in government, two more years of high school have no added value.

"This is an unfair practice being done by the government. Ipinangako natin noon na ang K to 12 ay magbibigay ng trabaho sa ating senior high school graduates pero gobyerno mismo ang hindi nagbibigay sa kanila ng oportunidad. We're lumping them together with graduates of the ten-year high school system. Again, there's no added value for our senior high school students in the eyes of the government," Gatchalian lamented.

"For example, I'm a senior high school student but when I apply in government, I'm actually equated to a graduate of the ten-year high school system. There's no increase in value for me so why would I add two more years if I'm equated to a graduate of ten years of high school," he added.

The Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education demanded that the CSC submit a definite timetable on addressing challenges linked to the government's hiring of senior high school graduates. The CSC assured, however, that it is currently revising the Omnibus Rules on Appointments and Other HR Actions so that senior high school graduates can also be considered.

A 2018 study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) previously pointed out that education requirements of first level positions in the civil service have not been adjusted to consider senior high school graduates.

Polisiya ng gobyerno sa pag-hire ng K to 12 senior high school graduates kinastigo ni Gatchalian

Kinastigo ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang polisiya ng pamahalaan sa hiring ng K to 12 senior high school graduates.

Ayon sa senador, isang malaking pagkukulang ito ng gobyerno sa mga mag-aaral at kanilang mga pamilya na napilitang tustusan ang dagdag na dalawang taon sa high school.

Sa nakaraang pagdinig ng senado hinggil sa Batang Magaling Act (Senate Bill No. 2022), pinuna ni Gatchalian ang Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 12 s. 2019. Lumalabas kasi na para sa mga ahensya ng pamahalaan, pati na sa mga government corporations, walang pagkakaibang maituturing ang mga nagtapos ng senior high school at mga nakatapos ng sampung taon ng elementary at high school.

Para kay Gatchalian, ipinapakita ng polisiyang ito na para sa mga senior high school graduate na nais pumasok sa gobyerno, walang dagdag na benepisyo ang dagdag na dalawang taon sa high school.

"Hindi makatarungan ang ginagawang ito ng pamahalaan. Ipinangako natin noon na ang K to 12 ay magbibigay ng trabaho sa ating senior high school graduates pero gobyerno mismo ang hindi nagbibigay sa kanila ng oportunidad. Ipinapantay natin sila sa mga nagtapos ng sampung taon ng basic education. Nakakalungkot na sa mata ng ating pamahalaan, walang dagdag na benepisyo para sa ating senior high school students," ani Gatchalian.

"Halimbawa, isa akong mag-aaral sa senior high school pero 'pag pumasok ako sa gobyerno, kapantay ko lang ang nagtapos sa 10 taon ng basic education. Walang dagdag na benepisyo para sa akin, kaya bakit pa ako mag-aaral ng dalawa pang taon kung wala naman akong pinagkaiba sa nagtapos sa ilalim ng dating sistema," dagdag na pahayag ni Gatchalian.

Hinimok ng Chairperson ng Senate Committee on Basic Education ang Civil Service Commission (CSC) na magsumite ng tiyak na timetable upang matugunan ang mga isyung kinakaharap ng pamahalaan pagdating sa pag ha-hire ng senior high school graduates. Tiniyak naman ng CSC na inaamyendahan na nito ang Omnibus Rules on Appointments and Other HR Actions upang mabigyan ng pagkakataon ang mga senior high school graduates.

Ayon sa isang pag-aaral ng Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) noong 2018, hindi kinokonsidera ang senior high school graduates sa education requirements ng first level positions sa civil service.