THE Department of Education (DepEd) is eyeing to reduce to six the core subjects in the senior high school (SHS) curriculum to allow students to focus more on work immersion.
Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara, during the 2024 Regional Conference on Educational Planning in Asia, said there should be “flexibility” in the education system so the government can help students improve their employability.
“We’re on the right direction to reduce the core subjects of our SHS curriculum to just five or six subjects (because) 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,” Angara said.
Under the present curriculum, SHS students have 17 core subjects, which include Oral Communication, Reading and Writing, Komunikasyon at Pananaliksik sa Wika at Kulturang Pilipino, Pagbasa at Pagsusuri ng Iba’t-Ibang Teksto Tungo sa Pananaliksik, 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World, Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions, Media and Information Literacy, General Math, Statistics and Probability, Earth and Life Science, Physical Science, Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person, Physical Education and Health Personal Development; Understanding Culture, Society and Politics; Earth Science, and Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction.
DepEd officials met with academic experts last Monday to accelerate the review and streamlining of the SHS program and subjects.
The meeting with consultants from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) sought to gather recommendations on the structure of the SHS curriculum and on the content of English, Science, and Math standards and curriculum guides.
The DepEd likewise asked the ADB to provide technical assistance and professional guidance to department specialists in revising the SHS curriculum.
Angara said the move to review and streamline the country’s basic education curriculum was prompted by the observations of education experts from other countries that the curriculum is “crowded.”
DepEd Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction Gina Gonong, Assistant Secretary Joyce Dr Andaya, Teacher Education Council Executive Director Jennie Jocson, and Office of the Secretary Director Maggie Del Valle Ramoso represented the agency during the meeting.
EDCOM executive director Karol Mark Yee also attended the consultation.
On the other hand, the ADB was represented by consultants Margaret Bigelow, Mary Coupland, Michael Murray, Mel Dixon, Gerard Edward McCloughan, and Dagmar Arthur.