Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 16) — There will be no more vouchers for incoming Grade 11 students in senior high school programs of state universities and colleges (SUCs) beginning school year 2024-2025, the Department of Education (DepEd) said Tuesday.
This comes after the recent memorandum by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) ordering the discontinuation of senior high school programs in SUCs as well as in local universities and colleges (LUCs).
“We would like to remind our SUCs and LUCs that DepEd will no longer be extending the SHSVP to Grade 11 learners in their schools beginning SY 2024-2025,” the DepEd said in a statement.
“Hence, the acceptance of new Senior High School learners by SUCs and LUCs shall only be made in accordance with their charters and charged to their respective funds,” it added.
DepEd reiterated that Grade 11 students currently enrolled in SUCs can still use their vouchers when they enter Grade 12 next school year.
“To prevent any displacement of learners, the DepEd would like to announce that the Senior High School Voucher Program (SHSVP) will again be extended to Grade 11 learners currently enrolled in SUCs and LUCs for SY 2023-2024,” the department said.
“Subsequently, they may also continue on as voucher beneficiaries to complete their Grade 12 studies come SY 2024-2025,” it added.
However, DepEd noted again that a memorandum of agreement with CHED shall be formalized first before the voucher extension.
The SHSVP is a financial subsidy given in voucher form to senior high school students.
The CHED memorandum issued in December 2023 noted that the offering of senior high school programs in SUCs has already lapsed after SY 2016-2017 to SY 2020-2021, which were the transition period for the K-12 program.
Based on CHED’s data, 53 out of 103 SUCs have stopped offering Grade 11, while 52 already halted Grade 12 classes.
