Marcos orders major overhaul of curriculum to enhance senior high school skills, job readiness
Photo screengrab from Radio Television Malacañang Facebook page.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed the Department of Education to make significant revision of the Senior High School (SHS) curriculum to enhance students’ skills and improve their job prospects.
During a briefing at Malacañang, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara announced the plan to reduce the number of required subjects, making many electives.
Angara explained that the current curriculum includes 22 subjects per academic track.
The new approach will allow students to choose electives, focusing on core skills that are essential for their future.
“We will not reduce the number of subjects they will take, but we will make some of them voluntary or elective,” Angara said.
The revised curriculum will emphasize foundational skills, including reading, writing, communication, personal development and physical education.
“So, he’s a well-rounded person kahit anong gawin niya at may foundational skills siya,” Angara added, highlighting the goal of producing graduates who are equipped for various career paths.
[‘So, he’s a well-rounded person no matter what he does, and he has strong foundational skills.”]
Along with curriculum changes, President Marcos has directed DepEd to build stronger partnerships with industries. This collaboration aims to help SHS graduates secure quality jobs.
Angara noted, “Iyong link-up namin with industries for senior high school – iyan iyong bilin ni Pangulo na kailangan maganda iyong tsansa niyang makakuha ng trabaho at hindi lang pangkaraniwang trabaho kundi iyong dekalidad na trabaho na maganda iyong suweldo at makakabuhay ng isang tao at kaniyang pamilya.”
[“Our link-up with industries for senior high school – that’s what the President emphasized, that students should have a good chance of getting not just any job, but a quality job with good pay that can support a person and their family.”]
This initiative follows a previous order from President Marcos in February to integrate skills training into the K-12 curriculum.
He emphasized the need for collaboration among the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), DepEd, and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to align education with the needs of employers.
Streamlining the SHS curriculum is a key move to improve the Philippine education system, aiming to better prepare students for the workforce and meet the needs of a changing job market.
