Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Twentieth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 4248 
Introduced by Representatives Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, Yedda 
Marie K. Romualdez, Andrew Julian K. Romualdez and Jude A. Acidre 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING EDUCATION PATHWAYS FOR BASIC EDUCATION 
STUDENTS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
According to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the 
country consistently reports high youth unemployment and underemployment 
rates. This is further compounded by limited access to quality education, 
especially in rural and marginalized communities. The 2022 World Bank report 
revealed that more than 90% of Filipino children aged 10 cannot read and 
understand age-appropriate texts—an indication of a learning crisis that demands 
urgent reform. 
The Philippine education system continues to face structural and systemic 
challenges that hinder inclusive and sustainable national development. Despite 
the implementation of the K–12 Basic Education Program in 2013, many learners 
still face barriers to completing their education and transitioning into meaningful 
employment, higher education, or lifelong learning opportunities. 
The establishment of the Senior High School (SHS) program was a 
significant step toward aligning the Philippine education system with 
international standards, aiming to bridge the gap between high school and tertiary 
education. According to the Department of Education (DepEd), the overarching 
goal of the SHS curriculum is to produce graduates who are “holistically 
September 1, 2025
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developed; equipped with 21st-century skills; and prepared for the future, be it in 
the pursuit of higher education or acquisition of middle-level skills, or geared 
toward employment or entrepreneurship.”1 
 
Recent public opinion data underscores growing dissatisfaction with the 
SHS program. According to a Pulse Asia survey conducted from March 23 to 29, 
2025, commissioned by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, 40% of respondents 
expressed dissatisfaction with the SHS program, while only 33% reported 
satisfaction. These figures reflect a declining level of public confidence in the 
program’s effectiveness and raise important questions about its ability to deliver 
on its promised outcomes such as improved employability, better college 
preparedness, and practical life skills for learners. 2  Moreover, a Philippine 
Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) study in 2020 said that "only one (1) in 
five (5) SHS graduates enter the labor force upon graduation." PIDS also revealed 
that the other half of those who enter the labor force after Grade 12 "choose to 
pursue higher education as they realize that employers prefer applicants with 
higher education credentials." 
 
With this, there have been efforts to provide students with more pathways 
or different options among a series of educational programs or credentials that 
prepare students to transition to different levels of education and to careers.3 This 
bill seeks to establish multiple education pathways tailored to the diverse abilities, 
talents, and skills of students while fostering their potential to excel by 
prioritizing and cultivating their individual strengths. Further, this bill aims to 
provide ensure opportunities for Filipinos to attain their maximum potential and 
enhance their employability by establishing inclusive education pathways that 
empower and equip the learners with the competencies that are necessary for 
college or employment.  
 
Through this bill, young learners are given the option to either graduate 
from basic education soonest after four (4) years of high school, or prepare 
themselves for another two (2) years of pre-university education after high school 
if they choose to continue to higher education. 
 
 
1 Dep’t of Education, DepEd Order No. 21, s. 2019, Policy Guidelines on the K to 12 Basic Education 
Program (22 Aug. 2019), https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/DO_s2019_21.pdf 
(last accessed Aug. 4, 2025). 
2
 Senate 
Reviews 
Stronger 
Senior 
High 
Program, 
Philstar 
(May 
9, 
2025), 
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/05/09/2441700/senate-reviews-stronger-senior-high-
program (last accessed Aug. 4, 2025). 
3 Christine G. Mokher & Amihan April C. Mella-Alcazar, Improving Education Pathways: Collaboration 
Supporting Transitions from K-12 to Postsecondary Education in the Philippines, 106 Int’l J. Educ. Dev. 
2024. 


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This measure was also filed during the 19th Congress and was primarily 
referred to the Committee on Basic Education and Culture, where it was approved 
on third and final reading by the House of Representatives. 
 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly requested. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FERDINAND MARTIN G. ROMUALDEZ 
 
 
 
 
 
YEDDA MARIE K. ROMUALDEZ 
 
 
 
 
 
ANDREW JULIAN K. ROMUALDEZ 
 
 
 
 
 
JUDE A. ACIDRE 


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Twentieth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 4248 
Introduced by Representatives Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, Yedda 
Marie K. Romualdez, Andrew Julian K. Romualdez and Jude A. Acidre 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING EDUCATION PATHWAYS FOR BASIC EDUCATION 
STUDENTS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress  assembled: 
CHAPTER 1 
GENERAL PROVISIONS 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Education Pathways 
Act”. 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to protect and 
promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take 
appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all. The State shall further 


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establish, maintain, and support a complete, adequate, and integrated system of 
education relevant to the needs of the people and society. 
 
To this end, the State shall ensure opportunities for Filipinos, regardless of 
age, background, ethnicity, disability, and association, to attain their maximum 
potential and enhance their employability by establishing inclusive education 
pathways that empower and equip the learners with the competencies that are 
necessary for college or employment. 
 
SEC. 3. Education Pathways for Completers of Junior High School. – Upon 
completing Junior High School, the students shall choose between two education 
pathways: the University Preparatory Program under the Department of 
Education (DepEd) or the Technical-Vocational Program under the Technical 
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). 
 
SEC. 4. Career Guidance and Assessments of Students. – Career guidance and 
counseling services, including aptitude and interest assessments to assist in 
selecting appropriate paths, as provided in Republic Act No. 11206, or the 
“Secondary School Career Guidance and Counseling Act”, shall be indispensable 
and crucial in aiding the students to make informed decisions about their 
preferred educational pathway. 
 
The DepEd shall administer various relevant assessments, including Early 
Language, Literacy and Numeracy Assessment and National Achievement Tests, 
to all elementary and secondary students across all levels. These assessments aim 
to evaluate their competencies and strengths. The results must be communicated 
to the students and their parents or guardians to provide them with ample time to 
consider their educational and career paths. These results shall also serve as a 


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guide to the DepEd and teachers in adjusting and refining their teaching 
approaches to enhance effectiveness in student learning. 
 
The DepEd, TESDA, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), 
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and 
Industry (DTI), Department of Information and Communications Technology 
(DICT), Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Employers 
Confederation of the Philippines, National Economic and Development 
Authority (NEDA), and other concerned agencies shall develop a system or a 
portal where students can access data and information concerning higher and 
technical education, current career and industry trends and demands, and other 
tools that will guide them in their educational and career choices. 
 
SEC. 5. University Preparatory Pathway. – The DepEd shall develop and 
implement a comprehensive curriculum for Grades 11 and 12 that prepares 
students for admission to colleges and universities.  
 
This curriculum shall encompass fundamental subjects to improve and 
guarantee that students acquire functional literacy and practical skills, and 
elective courses to allow students to explore their interests and meet college and 
university admission requirements of their chosen degree. 
 
The DepEd shall include the University Preparatory Pathway in its 
education roadmap and collaborate with the CHED, colleges, and universities to 
guarantee alignment between the curriculum and college admission standards. 
Colleges and universities must ensure that students can easily obtain information 
about their program of study or curriculum guide to adequately prepare for their 
college studies. 


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SEC. 6. Technical-Vocational Education Pathway. – TESDA and the industry 
boards, partners, experts, and practitioners, including micro, small and medium 
enterprises, shall develop a variety of technical-vocational programs based on an 
industry-driven and industry-approved standards designed to equip students with 
practical skills and competencies that are at par with industry requirements. These 
programs must lead to a diploma or a higher national certificate level. The 
standards of these programs must further ensure that students acquire functional 
literacy skills to guarantee their employability upon completion of their chosen 
program and undergoing the necessary assessment for certification. 
 
To effectively implement the programs, TESDA and its accredited 
Technical Vocational Institutions must have a sufficient number of partner 
enterprises to ensure that the standards and training for these programs are aligned 
with current industry needs and requirements. This collaboration shall include the 
conduct of a review and evaluation of the standards every three (3) years to 
maintain its relevance and responsiveness to the prevailing trends in the industry. 
For TESDA to undertake the prompt issuance of training regulations or 
competency standards, whichever is applicable, for new and emerging skill sets, 
they shall likewise strengthen existing industry boards and establish within two 
(2) years from the effectivity of this Act industry boards for sectors without one. 
In the development and issuance of training regulations or competency standards, 
TESDA and the industry boards shall focus on higher-skill level and diploma 
programs.  
 
TESDA shall give preference to enterprise-based training programs for 
National Certification levels III and IV, Philippine Qualifications Framework 
level 5, and new and emerging skills for technical-vocational learners to enhance 


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their skills and knowledge according to industry needs to encourage industry 
stakeholders to provide enterprise-based training, apprenticeship opportunities, 
and skills development. 
 
The assessments and certifications of students under public technical-
vocational institutions and TESDA-funded programs shall be free of charge. 
TESDA shall implement a system that provides subsidies to students in private 
education, industry, or enterprise for their assessments and certifications by their 
economic standing. No student who failed at least three (3) times may avail of the 
free or subsidized assessment and certification. 
 
SEC. 7. Honors Examination. – The DepEd, in consultation with the CHED, 
shall develop and administer an advanced placement exam, to be taken 
voluntarily by Grade 10 students in the University Preparatory Pathway, in order 
to assess their aptitude and readiness to advance to a college degree. 
 
This advanced placement exam shall give students a grade which shall 
correspond to their level of proficiency and determine their eligibility to enroll to 
their chosen degree in a college or university. 
 
Students who successfully pass the advanced placement exam shall be 
considered graduates of senior high school without the need to finish Grades 11 
and 12, and shall be allowed to enroll in their chosen degree the following school 
year, subject to other requirements that colleges or universities may impose. 
 
SEC. 8. Availment of the Ladderized Education Program under Republic Act 
No. 10647. – Upon completion of the full technical-vocational program, the 
student may enroll in colleges or universities and avail of the ladderized education 


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program for educational advancement. The CHED and TESDA shall strengthen 
existing policies and implementation of programs for the accreditation and 
recognition of prior learning of students. 
 
SEC. 9. Scholarship Programs. – To ensure that the two educational pathways 
are accessible to a broad range of students, the DepEd and TESDA shall maintain 
an educational support program including scholarships for their respective 
students that properly and sufficiently addresses the accessibility and availability 
of the pathways to the marginalized communities and learners. 
 
The DepEd and TESDA shall continue to make available to their respective 
students the scholarship programs currently implemented in their agencies. 
 
Scholarships in the Technical-Vocational Education Pathway shall be 
made available to learners with disabilities, indigenous learners, and those 
coming from marginalized communities. 
 
Prioritization shall also be given to students enrolled in programs with 
higher skill levels or urgently needed by the industries. 
 
SEC. 10. Program Evaluation. – The DepEd and TESDA shall regularly assess 
and evaluate the effectiveness and quality of their respective education pathways. 
The findings of these assessments and evaluations shall be utilized to implement 
essential enhancements and modifications to ensure that the curriculum remains 
relevant to society. 
 
SEC. 11. Support from Other Government Departments and Agencies. – The 
CHED, DOLE, DTI, DICT, Department of Agriculture, Department of Science 


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and Technology, NEDA, Philippine Qualifications Framework National 
Coordinating Council, Department of Budget and Management, and other related 
agencies are hereby mandated to extend the necessary support and resources 
towards the effective implementation of this Act. 
 
SEC. 12. Transition Provisions. – The DepEd and TESDA shall develop and 
refine their respective curriculum and standards to ensure that such are highly 
relevant and aligned with the current and future needs of society and industry, 
including emerging technologies, skills, and workforce demands. 
 
To ensure the effectiveness of the newly developed curriculum and 
standards, an initial implementation phase for three (3) years shall be conducted 
in a selected number of schools from different regions, socioeconomic conditions, 
and both urban and rural settings to be determined by the agencies. The DepEd 
and TESDA shall conduct comprehensive assessments during this pilot phase to 
evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum and standards in preparing the 
students for university and college or the workforce, and ensuring that it meets 
the intended goals. The assessment shall be accessible to the public and may 
undergo independent or third-party review. The DepEd and TESDA shall refine 
and enhance their respective curriculum and standards after considering the 
feedback from various sectors and roll out the final curriculum and standards 
within one (1) year from the assessment. 
 
Upon attaining the qualification standards, the teachers and instructors 
under the current Technical-Vocational Track of the Senior High School of the 
DepEd shall be given preference in hiring of instructors and teachers by the 
TESDA for the implementation of this Act. 
 


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SEC. 13. Appropriations. – The amount necessary for the implementation of this 
Act shall be included in the respective budgets of DepEd and TESDA in the 
annual General Appropriations Act. 
 
SEC. 14. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. – There is hereby created 
a Joint Congressional Oversight Committee (JCOC) to monitor and oversee the 
implementation of the provisions of this Act. The JCOC shall be composed of 
five (5) members each from the Senate and from the House of Representatives, 
respectively, including a member of the minority from each chamber, to be 
chaired jointly by the chairpersons of the Committees on Basic Education of both 
the Senate and the House of Representatives. The four (4) other members from 
each chamber shall be designated, respectively, by the President of the Senate and 
the Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
 
SEC. 15. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). – Within ninety (90) days 
from the approval of this Act, the DepEd, TESDA, and CHED shall, in 
consultation with other concerned stakeholders, formulate and issue the rules and 
regulations implementing the provisions of this Act. 
 
SEC. 16. Separability Clause. – If any part or provision of this Act is held invalid 
or unconstitutional, other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in force 
and effect. 
 
SEC. 17. Repealing Clause. – Section 4 of Republic Act No. 10533, or the 
“Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013”, is hereby amended to remove the 
compulsory requirement for Senior High School in basic education. 
 


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All other laws, orders, and rules and regulations contrary to, or inconsistent 
with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. 
 
SEC. 18. Effectivity. – Notwithstanding the non-issuance of the IRR, this Act 
shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in 
a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,