Studes return for SHS

EDUCATION officials yesterday said the Senior High School (SHS) program rolled out in June drew back to school thousands of young Filipinos who had long completed Grade 10 or 4th-year high school, debunking fears the program would keep more students from receiving a basic education.

In a hearing of the Senate committee on education, arts and culture, the Department of Education said 1.517 million students were currently enrolled in SHS, which added two years to the basic education curriculum.

Education Undersecretary Dina Ocampo said that of this number, 1.46 million completed Grade 10 in school year 2015-16 while 54,262 were “balik-aral” students and 2,378 passed the Alternative Learning System Accreditation and Equivalency.

“We are happy with this figure. These are more than 54,000 students who finished 4th year as far back as 2006 and they are back in senior high school because they want progress in their employment,” Ocampo said.  Jocelyn R. Uy