Tracing Footprints: First Graduates of Senior High School

The implementation of senior high school in the Philippines nationwide which once a big punch on the moon before has showed the footprints – traces – of its first graduates SY 2017-2018.

In one report by Philippine Star, there were some groups who expressed their concern of over estimates that 400,000 out of the 1.5 million graduates that year will not proceed to senior high school (Mateo, 2018). However, enrollment data showed that 1.4 million or about 93 percent went to Grade 11, which Briones described as “very impressive.” The secretary told they would monitor the graduates to determine the number of those who proceeded to college and those who sought employment. She added, “All senior high school learners get workplace exposure in industries related to their tracks and specializations,”. In short, surveys showed 24% of firms hired K-12 grads.

This is just one of the findings that senior high school graduates – first batch – have proven their employability in firms and as well as to other business industries. Apparently, the implication of this in the implementation of senior high school had received a good feedback, a good return.

Actually, senior high school students did not only excel in their employability but also their readiness for college. College and university professors claimed that compared to the regular college students who were not graduates of K-12, senior high school students – freshmen- are competent in their academic subjects. Evidently, these traces of competency stemmed from their preparation during senior high school years. One main feature of K-12 is that students are free to choose their preferred track and strands: Academic, Sports, Arts and Design and Tech-Voc.

The first graduates of the senior high school SY 2017-2018, the country, then has produced students who were competent in the Academic with specialization in Science and Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM), Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) as well as General Academic Strand (GAS); Sports with specialization in Athletics, Fitness, and Recreational Industries; Arts and Design with specialization in Visual Arts and Performing Arts, and Technical-Vocational Livelihood (TVL) with specialization on AgriFishery Arts, Home Economics, Industrial Arts, and Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

Senior high school students, regardless of their tracks and strands, already had obtained the competencies of higher and advanced course subjects which they will encounter in the college. Furthermore, they are ready for work since they have been immersed on their chosen track and strand that’s why, they were able to apply life and soft skills that are functional in the society.

References

Mateo, J. (2018, May 11). Senior high school results exceeded expectations? Retrieved

from https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/05/11/1814173/senior-high-schoolresults-exceeded-expectations-deped