Request to hold oral argument on K-12 junked

The Supreme Court on Tuesday denied the request of parents, teachers and students of Manila Science High School to hold an oral argument and discuss in open courts the merits of their petition questioning the constitutionality of the implementation of the K-12 program of the Department of Education (DepEd).

During their summer session held in Baguio City, the high court justices instead ordered all parties to submit their respective memoranda or summaries of their arguments and then the case will be decided on the merits.

“The Court denied the request for the conduct of oral argument and required the parties to submit Memoranda within a [non-extendable] period of twenty days from notice, with an instruction on the Clerk of Court to serve notice personally,” high court’s Information Chief Atty. Theodore Te told reporters.

Last month, the high court denied the bid of various petitioners to suspend the implementation of the K-12 program.

The K-12 program dictates a year of kindergarten, six years of elementary school, four years of junior high school and two years of senior high school.

Some of the petitioners include the Council of Teachers and Staff of Colleges and Universities of the Philippines (CoTeSCUP), Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisang Progresibong mga Manggagawa (SENTRO), Federation of Free Workers (FFW), National Confederation of Labor (NCL), among others.

Respondents include the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Department of Labor and Employment and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. RAM

RELATED STORIES

Groups ask SC to stop K-12 implementation

Group opposed to K-12 asks SC to allow students to take college entrance exams