Students attend their graduation ceremony in Quezon City. AFP FILE PHOTO
A Malacañang official assured parents that the government has allocated enough funds to ensure that every student who graduated from Grade 10 will be able to enter senior high school.
Quoting Department of Education (DepEd) Undersecretary Reynaldo Laguda, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said that a total of P12 billion was earmarked for 1.5 million students who will enter senior high school in June.
“Ayon naman po kay DepEd Undersecretary Reynaldo Laguda, naglaan ng sapat na pondo o budget ang DepEd na humigi’t kumulang sa labindalawang bilyong piso para sa tinatayang 1.5 milyong mag-aaral na papasok sa Senior High School (SHS) Program. Tinitiyak ng DepEd na lahat ng mga nagtapos na sa Grade 10 ay makatutuntong sa SHS Program,” Coloma said on Sunday.
(According to DepEd Undersecretary Reynaldo Laguda, DepEd has provided sufficient funds or a budget of P12 billion for 1.5 million students who will enter the Senior High School Program. DepEd assured that the students who passed Grade 10 will get into the SHS Program.)
Coloma, quoting Education Secretary Armin Luistro, said that around 90 percent of all Grade 11 enrollees would benefit from the government’s voucher program. Many senior high schools also announced that they will not impose additional fees, he added.
Coloma allayed parents’ fears that the senior high school program would entail added costs and burdens for their families, saying that these concerns might be due to lack of information.
“Such concerns may have arisen from lack of information on and understanding of the policies and processes put in place by government to ensure a smooth transition into and full implementation of the K to 12 Program, particularly on the inception of a Senior High School Program that will add two years – Grade 11 and 12 – to the free universal basic education program as mandated by the Constitution,” Coloma said.
READ: Primer: What you should know about the K to 12 senior high school
The senior high school program is set to be implemented this coming school year.
DepEd said that classes will start on June 13. JE/rga
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