'SUCS, LUCS need legal basis, capacity to continue offering SHS'

State universities and colleges (SUCs) as well as local universities and colleges (LUCs) that still want to continue offering the senior high school (SHS) program need to look for a legal basis and consider the capacity of their institutions and that of regular high schools near them before they can be authorized to continue accepting Grades 11 and 12 students, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said yesterday.

- NEIL JAYSON SERVALLOS

CHED chairman J. Prospero de Vera III said the commission could not authorize the continuation of SHS programs in SUCs and LUCs nationwide without having determined the capacity of their facilities and those of the Department of Education (DepEd).

De Vera, however, admitted that some SUCs favor continued SHS programs because these serve as “feeder programs” for certain specializations of respective SUCs, such as those that offer maritime transportation and engineering programs.

“First, we have to determine who these SUCs (and LUCs) are and where they are located. And is there capacity of regular DepEd schools for these students going to senior high? Because if DepEd schools have the capacity, then the capacity will allow SHS students to enroll in DepEd schools,” he said at a press conference.

“This is not just an exclusive decision of SUCs and LUCs and all of CHED. If there is capacity in regular schools, under the law, that’s where students should be studying,” he added.

The CHED chief pointed out that he issued the memorandum directing SUCs and LUCs to discontinue the SHS program for their respective administrations to study the problem in their areas and find the best solution.

If regular high schools in a certain area cannot absorb students displaced by the CHED memorandum, the commission should discuss the next steps with SUCs, LUCs and the DepEd, according to De Vera.

“At the appropriate time, if we can determine that there is limited capacity in DepEd facilities and there’s still capacity in SUCs and LUCs, then we’ll treat these cases one by one and look into it and look for the legal basis to continue this program,” he said.