- 20 schools nationwide are pilot-testing DepEd’s enhanced senior high school curriculum, streamlining tracks into Academics and TechPro for better learner readiness.
- Subjects reduced from 15 to 5, with stronger focus on employability and higher education alignment; pilot schools selected based on capacity and facilities.
- DepEd-CAR leads rollout in Cordillera, with evaluation set before national implementation; students like Jeighbear Mendoza welcome the curriculum’s real-life relevance.
At least 20 of more than 2,000 public and private schools in the country are pilot-testing the enhanced senior high school curriculum that aims to further enhance the readiness of the learners. DepEd-CAR chief education supervisor for curriculum and learning division Jennifer Ande said in an interview that the pilot schools were selected on the strength of their ability to implement the fortified curriculum based on the schools classroom, equipment and laboratory.
Some pilot schools were tagged as Abra High School in Bangued, San Quintin National High School in San Quintin, Gaddani National High School in Tayum, and Marc Ysrael B. Beros Memorial National High School in La Paz, all within Abra, Baguio City National High School, San Vicente National High School and Pines City National High School in Baguio, Cordillera Career Development College, Cordillera Regional Science High School and Star Colleges Inc., Mankayan National High School all in La Trinidad, Benguet;
Sta. Maria National High School in Ifugao, Kinama National High School, Macutay-Palao National High School and St. Paul's Memorial School of Kalinga Inc, all belonging to Kalinga, Besao National High School in Besao, Mountain Province; Kalinga National High School, Saint Williams Academy-Bulanao, Tabuk National High School in Tabuk City, and Luna National High School in Apayao.
Ande stated the solidified curriculum crafted by the department has gone through public consultation with various stakeholders. It streamlined the four tracks academic, Technical Vocational-Livelihood (TVL), arts and designs and sports into two: academics and the techpro.
Under the academic track, there are four strands Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM), Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) and General Academic. TVL has the following strands: agri-fishery arts, home economics, ICT and industrial arts.
The subjects were also decreased from 15 to five in the hope of having a more flexible and responsibe curriculum that is responsive to the needs of higher education and the labor market.
Ande stated that senior high students who were enrolled in the pilot schools will already be consuming the deepened curriculum while others will still provide the previous curriculum.
DepEd-CAR Regional Director Dr. Estela Cariño stated at the second quarter Kapihan of the DepEd in Baguio on Wednesday that "When the K to 12 program was implemented, it was immediately applied in all school nationwide but the department strives to further enhance it through the strengthened curriculum which it would first pilot in few school nationwide before full implementation".
She stated the pilot testing shall later be evaluated to determine its effectivity or for making adjustments depending on the purpose for which the improved curriculum was formulated.
Jeighbear Mendoza, 16 years old and incoming Grade 11 student at St. Louis School Center, stated that he is in favor of the senior high school program that equips learners to be critical thinkers as they take the first step in making a right decision in life.
In the Kapihan, he mentioned " that his favorite subject is math which influenced him to pursue the ABM strand under the academic track. I am taking an accountancy course at college which can be my preparation for my post graduate law", he added.
