Teacher seeks SC halt vs DepEd order removing SHS strands, reducing core subjects

Republika News Staff
2–3 minutes
VALENZUELA CITY, Philippines – Araling Panlipunan Teacher Ms. Rose Ann Inguito engages a student at her class in Polo National High School, Valenzuela City, July 2014 file image. Senator Win Gatchalian said that the modest salaries of teachers have not been commensurate to their critical contributions to society as mentors and role models for the youth, therefore, the government should prioritize increasing the salaries of public school teachers when the deliberations for the 2019 budget begins. Photo by Mark Cayabyab/OS WIN GATCHALIAN

MANILA – A teacher has asked the Supreme Court (SC) to stop the Department of Education (DepEd) from implementing a policy that would remove four academic strands under senior high school and restructure the curriculum into two main pathways.

In a media report, it said that in a 24-page petition, Teacher Barry Tayam urged the High Court to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) and/or status quo ante order against DepEd Memorandum No. 012, series of 2026.

The memorandum orders the dissolution of the Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM); Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS); and General Academic (GA) strands for Grades 11 and 12.

Under the revised system, senior high school will be streamlined into Academic and Technical-Professional pathways.

Tayam said the restructuring would significantly reduce the number of core subjects in senior high school.

“Aside from being electives na lang ‘yung mga specialized subject, ako bilang isang ABM teacher, ‘yung core subject ay nanganganib. So ‘yung core subject, from 15 core subjects magiging lima na lamang po,” Tayam said in an ambush interview.

He added that the change could affect the quality of education being provided to students.

“Hindi po siya, tingin ko, naaayon doon sa constitutionality na dapat maganda ‘yung quality ng edukasyon na binibigay sa ating mga kabataan. So logically, paano natin masasabi na itong DepEd ay magbibigay ng quality education kung itong core subjects ay babawasan,” he said.

In his petition, Tayam also asked the SC to declare the memorandum unconstitutional and void, arguing that it was issued with grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction.

He asked the High Court to issue a TRO or status quo ante order to prevent implementation of the policy and to require the retention of the current Basic Education Curriculum, which includes 15 core subjects and the existing SHS strands.

Tayam also requested that the case be set for oral arguments and that the SC decision be written in Tagalog.

Leave a comment

Trending