“Senior High School is two years of specialized upper secondary education; students may choose a specialization based on aptitude, interests, and school capacity. The choice of career track will define the content of the subjects a student will take in Grades 11 and 12. SHS subjects fall under either the Core Curriculum or specific Tracks.” (Official Gazette, www.gov.ph)

              One more year and the completion of the implementation of the K-12 Program will finally set off. The first batch of K-12 students coined as K-12 babies are now incoming Grade 10. They will complete Junior High School and will graduate in March 2016, thus, leading them to the last two years of the K-12 Program—Senior High School. However, despite the excitement brought about by the idea of “graduation”, a more important concern is being faced by all these soon-graduating Junior High School students. Is Dep Ed ready for the implementation of SHS? Are there teachers, instructors, or trained experts to handle specialized classes? Are there enough courses to choose from and enough schools to go to? Are there textbooks or other reference materials available? Is this two-year extension really the answer to the deteriorating quality of education that the country has experienced in the past years?

                No need to worry. The Department of Education has been preparing everything for the implementation of Senior High School Level. Teachers have been sent to trainings to ensure their readiness to teach specialized subjects. A multitude of additional classrooms and facilities have also been built plus the approval of teaching items for those who will be assigned to teach SHS. The Philippine government and the Department of Education have also been working closely with different sectors to ensure the employability of the graduates after completing their SHS level. So, how ready is ready? READY.

Sources: DepEd.gov.ph, The Official Gazette www.gov.ph

By: Nelfa C. Trinidad | T-II | Orani National Highschool