TACLOBAN CITY — Incoming Grade 11 students in Eastern Visayas will begin classes under the strengthened Senior High School (SHS) curriculum this school year, while Grade 12 learners will continue under the existing curriculum as part of a phased transition, the Department of Education (DepEd) said.
Gertrudes Mabutin, chief of the curriculum and learning management division of the Department of Education(DepEd-8), clarified the implementation during the Oplan Balik Eskwela 2026 Interagency Meeting and press conference on Thursday, June 5, noting that the rollout is part of ongoing education reforms designed to improve learner competencies and employability.
Mabutin said 34 schools across the region participated in the pilot implementation of the strengthened SHS program, composed of 28 public schools and six private institutions. These pilot schools provided feedback that helped refine the new curriculum before regional rollout.
Of the 13 schools divisions in Eastern Visayas, only the Maasin City Division did not take part in the pilot testing. The region currently has 582 Senior High School implementing schools.
Under the strengthened SHS curriculum, the previous four tracks—Academic, Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL), Sports, and Arts and Design—have been consolidated into two tracks: the Academic Track and the Technical-Professional (TechPro) Track.
The number of core subjects has also been reduced from 15 to five. These include Effective Communication (Mabisang Komunikasyon), General Mathematics, General Science, Life and Career Skills, and Pag-aaral ng Kasaysayan at Lipunang Pilipino.
DepEd also emphasized strengthened work immersion components, with expanded and more structured on-the-job training (OJT) opportunities intended to better prepare students for employment or higher education.
Meanwhile, DepEd-8 has yet to finalize the total number of SHS enrollees for the current school year as registration and enrollment activities are still ongoing.
DepEd-8 Regional Director Salustiano Jimenez expressed appreciation to partner agencies and stakeholders for their continued support during school opening preparations and in the implementation of education reforms.
“Let us remember that every reform, intervention, and partnership ultimately serves one purpose: to provide our learners with the quality education they deserve,” Jimenez said.
He also thanked partner agencies for their support in ensuring the safety, health, security, and well-being of learners and school communities during the opening of classes.
Photo Caption: Department of Education Eastern Visayas officials, led by Regional Director Salustiano Jimenez, discuss the implementation of the strengthened Senior High School curriculum during the Oplan Balik Eskwela 2026 Interagency Meeting and press conference in Tacloban City.
The new curriculum will be rolled out for incoming Grade 11 students this school year as part of ongoing education reforms.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
