MGCNLCA Retains Current SHS Curriculum Amid DepEd Pilot
As the Department of Education (DepEd) begins piloting its Strengthened Senior High School (SHS) Curriculum in 841 schools nationwide, MGC New Life Christian Academy (MGCNLCA) has opted not to apply for the early implementation of the new curriculum this school year.
“During our consultation with DepEd in February 2025, curriculum guides for the new program had not yet been released. Given this, we felt it was premature to implement the Strengthened SHS Curriculum. We believe that continuing with the current program—which has consistently equipped our students with the necessary knowledge and skills for college—was the more prudent choice,” stated SHS Supervisor Raquiel Pinlac.
The current SHS curriculum, implemented in 2016 as a part of the K-12 program, was designed to align the country's education system with global standards, requiring 12 years of basic education that aims to equip students with the skills needed for a higher education, employment, and entrepreneurship.
However, as DepEd reviewed the SHS curriculum after a decade of implementation, it was found to be overloaded, fragmented, and misaligned with labor market needs. In response to these concerns, the new curriculum was created to streamline content, expand elective options, and strengthen real-world skills.
The current nationwide SHS program includes four tracks: Academic, Technical-Vocational-Livelihood, Arts and Design, and Sports. Under the Strengthened SHS Curriculum, however, these will be streamlined into just two tracks: Academic, which includes arts and sports, and Technical-Professional (TechPro).
Traditional strands in the Academic Track will now be replaced by clusters of electives that aim to provide students with more flexibility and exposure to various fields. The five clusters are Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities; Business and Entrepreneurship; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); Sports, Health, and Wellness; and Field Experience.
The new curriculum also reduces the number of core subjects from 15 to five per year, with each subject taught over the school year instead of per semester. These core subjects include Effective Communication, Life and Career Skills, General Mathematics, General Science, and Pag-aaral ng Kasaysayan at Lipunang Pilipino. Students will then be free to choose the electives they want from the clusters of subjects, as a way of taking charge of their own learning.
For now, MGCNLCA has taken a few steps to prepare for the possible nationwide implementation by next year. While nothing changed in the situation of the current Grade 12 students, the school has decided to group the Grade 11 students based on their academic interests, sectioned into Olive A, B, and C, instead of the traditional strand labels. The first two sections are interested in Business and Entrepreneurship, while the last section is more aligned with STEM.
Pinlac said, “The school’s decision to make some changes or adjustments to prepare for the potential full implementation of the Strengthened SHS Program reflects our commitment to preparing our students for future changes while staying grounded in our current practices. We’ve chosen to move in this direction gradually and thoughtfully, ensuring that the quality of instruction and learning experience remains strong. By aligning our plans with the direction of the new program without fully overhauling our existing system, we are able to maintain stability while giving our G11 students a head start in adapting to the shift.”
