DepEd eyes reducing SHS subjects to boost graduate employability

The Department of Education wants to reduce the core subjects in the senior high school curriculum to allow students to focus more on work immersion. — INQUIRER PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) is eyeing to reduce the core subjects in the senior high school (SHS) curriculum to allow students to focus more on work immersion.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara forwarded the proposal at this year’s United Nations-led Regional Conference for Educational Planning in Asia held from November 5 to 7.

“We’re on the right direction to reduce the core subjects of our SHS curriculum to just five or six subjects,” he said.

“If we reduce the subjects of our SHS curriculum, the students will have more time for the on-the-job training or work immersion needed by the industry so that our senior high school graduates will become more employable even if they lack work experience,” he added.

There are currently 17 core curriculum subjects in the SHS program.

On Monday, Angara and other DepEd officials met with consultants from the Asian Development Bank to discuss streamlining the SHS curriculum.

Last July, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called for changes in the K-12 program, citing no improvements in the employability of SHS graduates.

READ: K-12 adjustments considered to boost SHS grads employability – Marcos

A 2023 study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies found that only 20 percent of SHS graduates entered the workforce while more than 70 percent opted to pursue higher education.

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