CHED halts SHS program in SUCs, LCUs

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 2) — The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) confirmed that it has directed state and local universities to discontinue offering senior high school (SHS) program nationwide.

In a memorandum dated Dec. 29, CHED chairman Prospero De Vera III said the engagement of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs) in basic education through SHS shall be limited to the K-12 transition period which is from School Year (SY) 2016-2017 to SY 2020-2021 only.

He added that the Department of Education (DepEd) has already issued a notice that there will be no more government assistance to students and teachers in private education (GASTPE) beneficiaries from SUCs and LUCs beginning SY 2023-2024.

However, exceptions will apply to those students who will be entering Grade 12 in SY 2023-2024.

SUCs and LUCs with laboratory schools can also accept enrollees but they will no longer receive vouchers.

The SUC presidents and officers-in-charge are also directed to relay to their respective Board of Trustees and Board of Regents the discontinuance of SHS, saying “there is no longer legal basis to fund the same.”

In a statement on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said the move to dismantle SHS in SUCs and LUCs is in line with the mandate of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).

“While they were allowed to provide SHS during the transition period, we agree that it is not the role of HEIs to offer basic education, except for those with laboratory schools,” he said.

Villanueva, however, said DepEd and CHED should coordinate to ease the impact of the directive on the education of affected students.