DepEd Considers Early College 'Exit Points' for Students

• DepEd considers allowing Grade 11 students to enter college early as part of K-12 curriculum streamlining
• TESDA launches certification and training upgrades for 68,000+ Child Development Workers to enhance early education
• New Zealand boosts scholarships and study-to-residency options for Filipinos, with 2026 Manaaki slots increased to 44

The Education department indicated they are willing to let senior high school students enter college ahead of finishing their last year of school, as officials seek to streamline the curriculum in response to fears of redundancy. The Department of Education (DepEd) may let students advance to college skipping the last stint of schooling under the K-12 program, Education Assistant Secretary Janir T. Datukan informed a House of Representatives panel.

"Even without a law, can DepEd implement exit points after Grade 10 or Grade 11?" Pasig Rep. Roman T. Romulo, chairman of the House Education committee, asked education officials. "Can they go straight to college and not take Grade 12 anymore?", "Yes," Mr. Datukan replied.

The Philippines introduced the K-12 curriculum in 2010 as part of the country's move to realign its education system with international standards. It included two more years in high school and was supposed to better prepare students with programs they intend to pursue in college.

The DepEd and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) are also considering taking some of the General Education courses pursued at college under the senior high school curriculum to eliminate duplications in the Philippine curriculum, Mr. Datukan explained. "The new plan is to take the general education courses in our core senior high school subjects", he explained.

"They have already confered and they came to an agreement that five of the remaining General Education courses in college would be transferred down to Senior High School, to Grade 11", Mr. Romulo explained to reporters following the House education committee hearing. This would cut one semester off college, according to Mr. Romulo.

"You have already heard that CHED is candid about the potential of taking one entire semester off college", he said. At the same time, the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Board has granted the advanced training for Child Development Workers (CDWs) to enhance the Philippines' early childhood education workforce, the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) reported.

“With the National Certification III for Early Childhood Care and Development, parents and guardians can be confident that our CDWs will gain the competencies needed to help children aged 0-4 in their holistic development”, said TESDA Secretary Jose Francisco B. Benitez said in a statement. EDCOM 2 said that child development workers will undergo training and assessment under TESDA’s programs.

The new training will also include the management of the child development centers, progress and development assessments of children, and implementation of the early childhood care and development curriculum.

A report presented in an EDCOM 2 revealed that a mere 16.8 percent, or 11,414 CDWs nationwide had only high school diplomas. Approximately 89% of them continued to be in non-permanent posts, with a monthly average salary of P5,000.

We have over 68,000 CDWs all over the country, most of whom have yet to be provided with the tools, training, and incentives that will enable them to serve efficiently", said EDCOM 2 Co-Chairperson Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian.

"This certification is an important step toward professionalizing them, which will enhance the delivery and quality of ECCD programs and services," he added. TESDA likewise initiated a regional training program to establish a pool of competent trainers at the regional level which could carry out training programs for new regulations.

In addition, Mr. Gatchalian advocated the cost sharing program to solve the problem of inadequate classrooms in local public schools. "One good approach is having a counterpart program wherein the local government units and the national government will share the expense of building new classrooms", he stated in a different release.

DepEd previously stated that the country's classroom backlog was at 165,000 since it did not have enough funds to build additional facilities. This was projected to affect the next 2025-2026 school year. Under the 2025 budget, DepEd received P28 billion for basic education infrastructure, of which P7.18 billion was allotted for building new kindergarten, elementary, and secondary school schools. There was a P6.13-billion allocation for school rehabilitation and repair. "Addressing the Philippines' classroom shortage requires a multi-pronged effort", he said.

Mr. Gatchalian added that the government also needs to enhance public-private partnerships as well as the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education to help decongest public schools.

"We should be pro-active in filling these gaps. We should ensure that each student has a secure, safe, and proper learning space," he added. In another development, New Zealand declared on Tuesday that additional scholarships are available for Filipinos, as well as a chance to continue on a potential long-term residency route after studying.

"We feel confident that we have a good grasp of motivations on the part of students in the Philippines," Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) Asia Regional Director Ben Burrowes said in a media briefing.

So we can make an offer that best fits their interest, and we are aware their top interest are graduate outcomes," he furthered.

According to the 2024 ENZ data, the Philippines was the ninth largest international student source in New Zealand. The government agency stated 56% of Filipinos were in applied learning and private training establishments (PTEs), followed by 27 percent in vocational training institutions.

In order to further boost the number of Filipino students overseas, the ENZ and 10 institutions will organize an education roadshow targeting high school and undergraduate students featuring PTEs that offer practical and hands-on courses. The roadshow will conduct study fairs in Manila on May 31, Bacolod on June 3, and Cebu on June 7.

Aside from the roadshow, New Zealand Ambassador Catherine McIntosh also announced additional available spots for Filipinos in the Manaaki Scholarship Program that will open in January 2026.

The Ambassador said the number of spots for Filipinos in 2026 increased to 44 from 16, the highest ever allocated to the country.

It is really a huge boost for our foreign policy interests in the region", Ms. McIntosh said.  "But also the holistic partnership which has been agreed on a bilateral basis between President Marcos Jr. and New Zealand Prime Minister Luxon".

Prospective Manaaki scholars are evaluated on leadership potential, impact on development, and academic excellence. On its website, the grant is available to Filipino students for postgraduate studies. The suggested research study topics for the candidates from the Philippines are climate change and environment, disaster management, renewable energy, food security and agriculture, and governance.

The scholars need to go back to their home country after graduation for the return service part for two years. "Above academic credentials and their oral skills, the story by which their scholarship will bounce back to their communities is a very crucial narrative for New Zealand's scholarship program," New Zealand International Development Cooperation Manila Manager Dyan Mabunga Rodriguez said.

ENZ also uses online campaigns for 'green list' programs or study routes that can potentially drive to long-term residency. The green list courses, such as civil engineering, agriculture, and education, are New Zealand industries that suffer from skill shortages.

"Say they're doing agriculture, that's already a skill shortage in New Zealand", Mr. Burrowes said. "If they're looking to stay longer than their post-study work entitlements, then they have a better opportunity of securing the various visas which may lead towards becoming resident."

"We match education objectives with what our potential international students are seeking and where our national skills shortages lie," he further added. Between January to August 2024, New Zealand had 1,983 enrolled students from the Philippines. The ENZ reported that the approval rate of student visas in the same year was 79%, which is a "strong" rate, Mr. Burrowes stated.