THE UST Senior High School (SHS) has improved its curriculum to make it “student-centric,” in time for the first batch of Grade 11 students in 2016.
Newly installed Principal Pilar Romero said the curriculum was “streamlined,” and copies of the six-track “academic strands” had been sent to the Academic Senate, composed of all deans of the University, for approval.
“In so far as the curriculum is concerned, we are good, we are prepared,” Romero said in an interview with the Varsitarian. “At this time, we have already streamlined the curriculum. [We will] have cluster meetings to further enhance the curriculum,” she added.
In the UST-SHS curriculum, a student can choose among six academic strands, namely the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Strand; the Liberal Arts, Education and Social Science Strand; the Accountancy and Business Management Strand; Music and Arts Strand; the Physical Education and Sports Strand; and the Health-Allied Strand.
The academic programs will have common core subjects aligned with the Department of Education’s curriculum guides, as well as contextualized subjects or those that are common to all strands but are given a particular “bend” based on the nature of the strand, according to the UST website. Each strand will have specialized subjects to prepare students for the tertiary program they intend to pursue.
There are seven learning areas under the core curriculum, namely: languages, literature, communication, mathematics, philosophy, natural sciences and social sciences. The Filipino subject however is in question following the temporary restraining order issued by the Supreme Court in April, halting the removal of Filipino from tertiary education and transferring it to senior high school under the K to 12 educational reform.
UST earlier said in an official statement that the opening of the UST-SHS was the University’s response to the call for a curriculum that meets the Asean Qualifications Framework and the Philippine Qualifications Framework, which classify the levels of education and qualifications needed for different types of jobs.
Romero said UST-SHS would be a “seedbed of innovations as we aim not only to ensure, but also enhance the quality of education that we are giving in the University.”
“We want our students to have a cutting-edge advantage over students of other senior high schools,” Romero said.
The Varsitarian previously reported that UST-SHS was eyeing at least 5,000 students to enroll in 2016. The UST-SHS will be housed at the Buenaventura G. Paredes O.P. Alumni Center Building. Jerome P. Villanueva
