What Is the Program?
The strengthened senior high school program is a revised curriculum being tested in about 841 pilot schools—580 public and 261 private—across the Philippines. Instead of 15 core subjects per semester, students will now take five main subjects for a full year:
- Effective Communication
- Life Skills
- General Mathematics
- General Science
- Philippine History & Society (Pag-aaral ng Kasaysayan at Lipunang Pilipino)
Elective courses will now be grouped under Academic and TechPro tracks, giving students more valuable options.
Why This Matters
This update comes from years of feedback. Since SHS started in 2016, there have been concerns about too many subjects, weak connections to jobs, and lack of industry support. This new program aims to:
- Streamline core subjects
- Give more choices to students
- Ensure skills are useful and employable
How It’s Being Tested
The pilot began in May–June 2025. DepEd trained teachers and school leaders from over 800 schools. Training included core subjects and TechPro electives. Schools started classes on June 16, 2025.
Teachers had webinars and documents from late April to early June. DepEd provided consultation kits and curriculum guides.
Problems That Came Up
Despite the good start, some issues emerged:
- Curriculum guides changed right before classes began. Teachers trained on old subjects but the guides had been updated days before June 16 .
- No copies of the new guide were given during training. Teachers felt unprepared and confused.
- Teachers made lesson plans for old subjects, but then found out those subjects were no longer part of the program— a lot of wasted work.
These changes left teachers feeling like they were “left hanging”, unready for the start of class.
Real Teachers’ Feelings
Many teachers shared emotions like:
“Heto na naman tayo, DepEd. Parang pag-ibig, puro ‘push and pull.’”
“Nag-training ako, nagpuyat mag-aral… bigla na lang nagbago ang lahat.”
“Parang ako na nagbigay ng lahat… wala lahat ng pinaghandaan ko.”
They expected support and clarity—but instead felt confusion.
What Can Improve
To fix this, DepEd can:
- Share final curriculum guides early
- Train teachers on the right subjects
- Give clear lesson-planning materials
- Involve teachers when changes are made
- Monitor pilot schools and adjust based on real needs
Benefits for Students
If done well, this program can:
- Build strong foundation in five key subjects
- Bring more elective choices and skill options
- Connect school learning to real jobs and college
- Reduce unnecessary content and boost learning focus
What Comes Next
DepEd, lawmakers, and partners like the Philippine Institute for Development Studies are watching closely. They plan to:
- Continue training and support
- Do a full evaluation after pilot
- Roll out improvements for nationwide use by 2026
What schools have the pilot?
What schools have the pilot?
About 841 schools across urban and rural areas are joining the pilot
When did classes begin?
They started on June 16, 2025, marking the first pilot run .
Why change from 15 subjects to five?
To help students focus and master key skills that matter most in life and school .
What are TechPro subjects?
These are elective courses in technical, vocational, or professional areas. They prepare students for college, work, or start-ups
The strengthened senior high school program is a hopeful step toward better senior high education. It simplifies subjects, gives students more choice, and builds skills for real life. The pilot has problems—teachers felt rushed and unprepared. But if DepEd shares materials early, includes teachers in the process, and adapts based on feedback, this program can succeed and benefit many students.
