MANILA, Philippines — The outcomes of the first two years of implementing the senior high school program have exceeded expectations, according to Education Secretary Leonor Briones.
In a press conference yesterday, Briones touted the success of senior high school – centerpiece of the K-12 basic education reform program that added two years to basic education in the country.
“We are very pleased because our expectations have been far exceeded and perhaps doubled; double in the case of enrollment, double in the case also of those who are graduating and completing (the programs),” she said.
“This is also largely because the government itself really heavily supported the senior high school program,” she added.
Briones noted that the number of students who graduated from senior high school this year reached over 1.2 million, invalidating fears that many students would drop out after finishing Grade 10 (former fourth year high school).
Prior to its implementation in 2016, some groups expressed concern over estimates that 400,000 out of the 1.5 million graduates that year will not proceed to senior high school.
However, enrollment figures showed that 1.4 million or about 93 percent proceeded to Grade 11, which Briones described as “very impressive.”
The secretary said they would monitor the graduates to determine the number of those who proceeded to college and those who sought employment.
She maintained that senior high school graduates have better prospects than applicants who did not undergo the program because of work immersion which is part of the curriculum.
“All senior high school learners get workplace exposure in industries related to their tracks and specializations,” she said.
“Their chances of getting a job in the company where they had work immersion are higher as the companies usually hire those whom they have already trained,” she added.
A survey conducted by JobStreet earlier showed that only 24 percent of employers using the employment website are ready to hire the first batch of graduates of the K-12 program.
Education Undersecretary Jesus Mateo said the survey is a welcome opportunity for DepEd to have baseline data on employer’s willingness to hire K-12 graduates.
“Twenty-four percent is about two in every 10 of company employers, a good enough percentage to take in K-12 graduates in entry-level positions doing administrative and support work to technical, supervisory and managerial levels,” he said.
“It is a challenge at the same time for K-12 graduates to develop their skills and be the company’s engine to growth. Coupled with the right attitude, they will surely succeed in the labor market,” he added.
Business leaders have called on companies to consider hiring senior high school graduates.
“There really are jobs that do not need a full four-year degree to start with. Just because there’s surplus of college graduates does not justify discriminating against those who do not have a college degree,” Philippine Business for Education chairman Ramon del Rosario said.
“That’s the appeal we’re making – open our minds to the possibility that senior high school graduates do have enough competencies for certain jobs,” he added.
Briones said Cabinet officials have also expressed support for her appeal for government agencies to hire senior high graduates.