MANILA – Over a million Filipino students now belong to the first batch of Grade 11 students in the country as the Senior High School (SHS) Program under the K-12 curriculum begins its full implementation this year.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said 11,000 schools nationwide are SHS ready. Of the total number, 6,002 are public schools operated by the Department of Education while 5,031 are private schools, private and public universities and colleges, and technical vocational schools.

"I believe this is the boldest move the department has ever undertaken --to open simultaneously 11,000 senior high schools that offer academic, technical vocational, arts & design and sports options for our students to choose from," Luistro said in a statement.

Under the SHS program, students will go through a core curriculum and subjects under a track of their choice. The DepEd said the two additional school years will equip learners with skills that will better prepare them for the future, whether it be in employment, entrepreneurial, skills development (further technical-vocational training) or higher education (college).

"Sa SHS, magkakaroon ng sapat na kaalaman at kasanayan ang bawat graduate. Magiging handa sila para sa trabaho, negosyo, o kolehiyo," Luistro said.

The DepEd said about 25 million Filipino students trooped to schools today as school year 2016-2017 begins.

Elementary has the most number of enrollees at 14,347,076, followed by secondary with 7,350,147 and kindergarten with 2,119,325.

Luistro said the government continues to invest heavily in education, marked by an unprecedented 148% increase in the education budget from 2009 to 2016.

"The Aquino government sees investments in education as the game changer of the future, thus, there has been a sustained and unprecedented growth in the education budget from P174.5 billion in 2009 to P433.5 billion in 2016," Luistro said.

Luistro admitted the implementation of the SHS program will not be without kinks, but he said ''none of those will be insurmountable especially since our schools and divisions have prepared for this for the past three years."

He said the Aquino government has earmarked P21.189 billion for the SHS voucher program, which gives Grade 10 completers who will enroll in SHS-ready private schools financial subsidy from the government.

The Philippines is the last country in Asia and one of only three countries worldwide with a 10-year pre-university cycle, with Angola and Djibouti being the other two.

The DepEd has already piloted the implementation of the SHS in different locations and students have testified the benefits of the program.

BRIONES DEFENDS K-12

Incoming education secretary Leonor Briones, meanwhile, defended the K-12 program.

She said the Philippines is just playing catch-up, being one of three countries in the world that still conform with 10 years of basic education.

She noted working professionals seeking work abroad are being told they lack two years of basic education.

"For the past 6 years pinaghandaan ito, ang favorite kong analogy ay kung magtatayo tayo ng bagong bahay taon-taon nalang every opening of school year angal tayo ng angal sa state of education, sa quality of education, sa pagkakulang ng paghahanda ng kabataan, hindi lamang sa pangangailangan ng ating bansa kundi sa ating pakikitungo sa ibang bansa,'' she said.

''Hindi natin na-realize na ang ating professionals, mga doktor pupunta sa Europa, sa Middle Eas, palaging hinahanapan ng kulang na 2 years lalo na sa trabaho. Mga nurses ang lawak ng experience sa Pilipinas pagdating sa trabaho sa labas hinahanapan sila."