THE House of Representatives approved on Second Reading House Bill No. 11213, entitled “An Act Providing Education Pathways for Basic Education Students.” on January 22,2025.
Congressman Roman Romulo, Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture and the Representative of the Lone District of Pasig City advocated for the empowerment of students’ diverse abilities, talents, and skills during his sponsorship speech for House Bill No. 11213.
In 2012, the K-12 System or the addition of Senior High School (SHS) to the country’s basic education system was launched, designed to either prepare students for tertiary education, or to provide them with the requisite skills and competencies to enter the workforce after graduation, without the necessity to pursue higher education.
However, Romulo reported that many SHS graduates face challenges in finding employment as the private sector continues to favor students and graduates of colleges and university. A study conducted by PIDS in 2020 revealed that only one (1) in five (5) SHS graduates enter the labor force upon graduation, while the rest choose to pursue higher education as they realize that employers prefer applicants with higher education credentials. Furthermore, in a 2022 Pulse Asia Survey, forty-four percent (44%) of Filipinos expressed dissatisfaction with the K-12 system.
“Given these challenges, it is imperative to establish multiple education pathways tailored to the diverse abilities, talents, and skills of students while fostering their potential to excel by prioritizing and cultivating their individual strengths,” said Romulo.
With this proposed development in the K-12 education system, students who exhibit scholastic proficiency will be encouraged to remain in the academe or higher learning institutions, while those possessing technical-vocational (TechVoc) skills will be afforded better opportunities to refine and develop their abilities, “thereby contributing to the betterment of society,” Romulo added.
Thus, two educational pathways will be created: the University Preparatory Program under DepEd and the Technical-Vocational Program under TESDA. An Honors Exam or advance placement examination shall be made available to graduating Grade 10 students, providing them the opportunity to bypass senior high school (Grades 11 and 12), contingent upon successful completion and passing of said exam.
With this, the DepEd shall be mandated to develop and implement a comprehensive curriculum for SHS that shall prepare students for college admissions. The curriculum shall not be divided into tracks or strands but shall consist of subjects that are eligible for credit in higher education, regardless of the degree program pursued by the students.
On the other hand, TESDA, in partnership with industry experts and practitioners, shall develop and offer a range of TechVoc programs that meet the current industry standards. Romulo emphasized the need to mandate TESDA to align its training regulations and competency standards with the needs and standards of the labor market, prioritize enterprise-based training programs, and provide free assessments and certifications, among others. The certification levels offered by these programs shall be no less than the National Certificate Level III or its diploma equivalent under the Philippine Qualifications Framework 5 to ensure that their qualifications and corresponding remuneration align with global standards.
Given such qualification for TESDA graduates, the ladderized education program that enables learners to pursue further education in colleges or universities after acquiring industry skills may also be utilized by SHS TechVoc graduates should they decide to proceed to completing a college degree.
All in all, this bill seeks to resolve the failings in the implementation of the current K-12 system and guide students in the basic education system to a more promising future. “We are providing every Filipino with various pathways in order for them to attain whatever they desire, college degree or higher TechVoc skill level,” said Romulo.
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