Advisers

Ms. Dympna M. Gatpandan

Discipline

Psychology

Abstract

The Senior High School Program was fully implemented in the Philippines nationwide in School Year 2016-2017, specifically Grade 11 in 2016-2017, followed by Grade 12 in 2017-2018. It has been a decade since the last major revision of the curriculum. In 2025, the Department of Education introduced a newly revised Senior High School Curriculum, known as the Strengthened Senior High School Curriculum, which was piloted in 841 schools nationwide. The new curriculum is set to be fully implemented in School Year 2025-2026, which aims to restructure the SHS Program by splitting four main strands, namely GAS, STEM, HUMSS, and ABM, into two main tracks, reducing the number of core subjects, expanding electives, increasing work immersion hours, and streamlining assessments. This study focuses on understanding the perceptions of Grade 10 students at St. Mary's College Inc., Quezon City, regarding the Strengthened Senior High School Curriculum and gathers feedback to further expand their knowledge. The study utilizes a quantitative research design and employs a descriptive methodology. A total population sampling method is used to select the respondents, and data are gathered through a survey questionnaire. The results of the study showed that the majority of students were aware of the new and Strengthened Senior High School Curriculum, with most respondents indicating awareness or familiarity and only a small number reporting no awareness. Overall, students expressed a positive perception of the curriculum's key features, including the reduction of tracks and core subjects, the replacement of strands with elective clusters, and the increased time allotment for core subjects and work immersion. These changes were perceived to improve focus, support deeper and more practical learning, and better prepare students for college or employment. The findings indicated that the strengthened curriculum had a positive impact on students' preparedness and perceived quality of education. The overall results indicated that most respondents were aware of the new and Strengthened Senior High School Curriculum and had a positive perception of it. Most Grade 10 students agreed with the survey items, showing that they recognized the advantages of the revised curriculum, particularly its elective-based approach, which offered greater flexibility and personalization aligned with future career goals.

Keywords

awareness, curriculum, electives