A proposal to scrap the additional two years of high school under the K‑12 program has resurfaced, as Senator Robin Padilla filed a bill seeking to abolish Senior High School (Grades 11–12) and revert the country’s basic education to the old 10-year cycle plus kindergarten.
Padilla’s measure, filed as Senate Bill 1297, titled “An Act Restructuring the Philippine Basic Education System by Abolishing the Senior High School Education…,” argues that the added two years have imposed financial burdens on families without delivering clear improvements in employability or college preparation for graduates.
In an explanatory note, the senator said the SHS component of K-12 “has faced criticisms for lack of readiness in implementation, added financial burden on families, and mismatch in preparing graduates for employment or higher education.”
Under the proposed measure, basic education would revert to one year of kindergarten, six years of elementary school, and four years of secondary education—eliminating Grades 11 and 12 from the mandatory cycle.
Support for removing SHS also comes from Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who filed a separate measure (Senate Bill 3001) proposing the same structural change for basic education. Estrada said many Filipino families continue to shoulder extra time and costs under SHS, and that after 12 years of implementation, the program “has not fully achieved its goal.”
The push to abolish SHS has stirred public debate. Critics—including educational institutions—warn that scrapping it would roll back years of reforms meant to align Philippine basic education with global standards.
Officials from the Department of Education (DepEd) have repeatedly said the K-12 program remains law and that rumors about wholesale removal of Grades 11 and 12 should be treated with caution.
Meanwhile, proponents of SHS argue that rather than abolishing it, what is needed is reform: streamlining the curriculum, improving implementation, and ensuring better alignment with labor-market and higher-education demands.
As of now, the proposed measures await Senate deliberation, and the future of SHS—and the structure of Philippine basic education—remains uncertain.
Written by Diana Rose N. Evangelista, Insight PH
Diana Rose N. Evangelista, Insight PH is a dedicated campus journalist and contributor. Their insightful writing sparks meaningful conversations and keeps the community informed.
