Schools, church, business groups back K-12

MANILA, Philippines —  Amid renewed calls to abolish the Senior High School (SHS) curriculum, various universities, schools, religious institutions, private sector representatives and civil society groups have issued a joint statement reaffirming their support for the K to 12 program and calling for better implementation.

In a manifesto posted by Ateneo de Manila University on its official Facebook page, prominent individuals joined other stakeholders in backing the program. These include Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, former budget secretary Butch Abad, former finance secretary Cesar Purisima and former tourism secretary Narzalina Lim.

“The private sector recognizes the necessity of a qualified, competent, and competitive workforce for the continued development, growth and competitiveness of the Philippine economy. This, in turn, requires a strong basic education system to provide the fundamentals for a skilled workforce,” the signatories said.

The coalition issued the statement in response to Senate Bill 3001 filed by Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, which seeks to repeal the SHS component of the K to 12 program.

They emphasized that SHS is part of the solution, not the problem. When implemented properly, the program provides practical, preparatory and employable skills needed to thrive in college, employment or entrepreneurship.

“This is critical in an economy that continues to evolve and where demand for skilled workers is growing,” the group noted.

However, they acknowledged serious implementation issues, including persistent learning gaps, poor industry alignment and limited immersion opportunities.

These, they argued, must be addressed through reforms in teacher training, curriculum relevance and stronger public-private collaboration.

“We urge the government to view these issues not as grounds for abandoning the reform, but as an opportunity to deepen its implementation,” the statement added, echoing President Marcos’ directive to improve the SHS program.

The joint appeal was backed by major academic institutions, including De La Salle University, Miriam College, Xavier University, University of the Assumption, University of Pangasinan, Southwestern University, Araullo University and Iloilo University.