Senator Win Gatchalian urged the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to expand opportunities for senior high school graduates.

“Gobyerno ang lumabag sa K to 12 Law dahil hindi tayo tumatanggap ng senior high school graduates. Wala tayong service standards for K to 12 graduates. Tayo ang nag-mandato sa mga kababayan natin ng K to 12, pero tayo namang gobyerno ang hindi kumukuha ng senior high school graduates,” said Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance. 

CSC Chairperson Marilyn Barua-Yap clarified that the education qualification standards for first-level positions for junior and senior high school graduates was already amended. The CSC Chairperson also explained that government employees in first-level positions provide clerical, administrative, and records assistance support, among other functions. 

Senior high school graduates, however, need to take the Sub-Professional Level of the Philippine Civil Service Examination. To date, there are 83,000 unfilled first-level positions available for senior high school graduates.

Under the Batang Magaling Act, which Gatchalian filed, the qualifications of senior high school graduates will be integrated to the CSC’s qualification standards (QS). This will provide employment opportunities to SHS graduates. 

Photo by Mark Cayabyab / OS WIN GATCHALIAN