CHED directs SUCs to stop offering SHS program

MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chairman J. Prospero de Vera III has directed all state universities and colleges (SUCs) to stop offering the senior high school (SHS) program starting next school year (SY 2024-2025), saying that there is no longer any legal basis to fund it.

In a Memorandum from the Office of the Chairperson dated Dec. 18, 2023, De Vera said the authority of SUCs as well as local universities and colleges (LUCs) to engage in basic education through the SHS program has already lapsed after SYs 2016-2017 to 2020-2021, the supposed transition period for the Kindergarten to Grade 12 (K-12) system.

He cited two CHED memorandum orders (CMOs) issued by his predecessor, former chairperson Patricia Licuanan, when the K-12 basic education program was launched during the administration of the late former president Benigno Aquino III.

“This is to reiterate the decision of the commission, through CMO Nos. 32 and 33, Series of 2015 and 2016, respectively, that engagement of SUCs and LUCs in basic education through senior high school shall be limited to the K-12 transition period, which is from SY 2016-2017 to SY 2020-2021 only,” De Vera’s memorandum stated.

He added that the Department of Education (DepEd) has already issued a notice that there will no longer be any government assistance to private school students and teachers who moved to SUCs and LUCs for the SHS program “except for those entering Grade 12 in SY 2023-2024 to finish their basic education.”

“The DepEd has already issued a notice, through the Private Education Assistance Committee, that beginning SY 2023-2024, there should be no more Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education beneficiaries from SUCs and LUCs, except those who will be entering Grade 12 in SY 2023-2024 to finish their basic education and that SUCs and LUCs with laboratory schools can accept enrollees but will no longer receive vouchers,” De Vera said in his memorandum.

The CHED, through CMO No. 32 Series of 2015, had allowed SUCs and LUCs to offer the SHS program beginning SY 2016-2017 until SY 2020-2021 in support of the country’s shift to the K-12 basic education system and in anticipation of the low enrollment in higher education institutions (HEIs) during those transition years.

The same CMO, however, stated that SUCs and LUCs’ participation in the SHS program “shall be limited to the K-12 transition period only, from SYs 2016-2017 to 2020-2021.”

The same CMO also stated that SUCs previously authorized to offer basic education through their laboratory schools shall be allowed to accept up to 1,000 students during the K-12 transition period, but must cap their enrollment at 750 students once the transition period ends.

“Considering the foregoing, SUC presidents/OICs (officers-in-charge) are directed to bring to their respective SUC BOR (Board of Regents)/BOT (Board of Trustees) the discontinuance of senior high school in SUCs as there is no longer legal basis to fund the same,” De Vera said.

“For SUCs with laboratory school, present to the Board the financial implication of notice from the Department of Education as to non-issuance of vouchers for senior high school enrollees in SUCs and compliance with CMO No. 32 Series of 2015 which provides that following the (K-12) transition period, the laboratory schools shall cap enrollment at 750 students,” he added.

The CHED chief directed the agency’s regional directors to monitor SUCs and LUCs’ compliance with his memorandum.