First day of school in the Philippines

• ·      Some 25 million kinder, elementary and high school students both in public and private trooped back to schools on Monday, June 13, 2016.
• ·      This school year sets the wheel in motion for the nationwide rollout of the Senior High School (SHS) program as more than 11,000 schools offering SHS open its doors to an estimated 1.5 million Grade 11 students.
• ·      Under the K to 12 program, the Philippine education system will be integrated to 12 years of basic education from the 10-year pre-university cycle which is now only used in two other countries in the world
• ·      According to the Department of Education (DepEd), 28,844 SHS program offerings spread among 5,990 DepEd public schools nationwide. This is on top of the 28,991 SHS programs also offered by 5,046 private schools, public and private universities and colleges, and technical-vocational institutions nationwide.
• ·      Program offerings available for SHS students to choose from include four strands under the academic track: Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM), Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS), Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and General Academic; the Sports track; the Arts and Design track; and various specializations under the Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) track.
  
  
  

  

  Kindergarten pupils practice the first school task of writing their name during their first day of school at West Central Elementary School in Dagupan City as classes start today, June 13, 2016. Jojo Riñoza/Manila Bulletin

  

  Students from an island village in Dagupan City take a boat ride early today to go to their respective school during the first day of classes. June 13, 2016/Dagupan City. Jojo Riñoza/Manila Bulletin

  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Flag ceremony at West Central Elementary School in Dagupan City as classes start today, June 13, 2016. Jojo Riñoza/Manila Bulletin

  
  
  

  

  Students alight from bancas, their only means of transportation from an island village, going to mainland in Dagupan City early today to go to their respective school during the first day of classes. June 13, 2016/Dagupan City. Jojo Riñoza/Manila Bulletin