MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd) is looking into hiring faculty of higher education institutions (HEIs) and technical vocational institutions (TVIs) to teach senior high school students with the full implementation of the K to 12 Law in 2016.
Tertiary schools nationwide will have no college freshmen enrollment for two years by school years 2016-2018 as a result of Republic Act 10533 or Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013.
To cushion its impact on tertiary institutions including their teaching personnel, DepEd said the faculty of HEIs and TVIs eligible to teach senior high school students shall be given priority in hiring teachers for senior high school.
“To mitigate the multi-year low enrolment turnout for higher education institutions (HEIs) and technical vocational institutions (TVIs) starting school year 2016-2017, the DepEd shall engage in partnerships with HEIs and TVIs for the utilization of the latter’s human and physical resources,†according to the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the law.
Education Secretary Armin Luistro, Commission on Higher Education Chairperson Patricia Licuanan and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) Director General Joel Villanueva have formally signed the IRR of the K to 12 Law at the Don Alejandro Roces National High School in Quezon City early this month.
Under the IRR, the DepEd may enter into financing arrangements with private schools and state and local colleges and universities to absorb public senior high school students.
Through such arrangements, the agency is hoping it would not need to build more classrooms and hire more teachers.
The law, which was signed by President Aquino last May, introduces the new basic education curriculum which consists of at least a year of kindergarten, six years of elementary, four years of junior high school and two years of senior high school.
The senior high school, or Grades 11 and 12, will be fully implemented nationwide in school year 2016-2017.