The Catholic schools in the country have expressed fears of losing resources with the looming implementation of the K-to-12 program, lawmakers said on Monday.

Reps. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro province and Maximo Rodriguez Jr. of Abante Mindanao made the disclosure under their House Resolution 2808, which tasks the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture to probe the claims of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) that the private schools under its ambit would suffer losses as a result of the K-to-12 program.

The K-to -12 program would add two more years to the 10-year basic education cycle by dividing secondary education to two phases namely: junior high school (four years) and senior high school (two years). Section 2 of the bill provides that the K-to -12 measure would change public perception that secondary education is just a preparation for college but rather should allow one to take advantage of the opportunities for gainful career or employment/self employment in a rapidly changing and increasing globalized environment.

The CEAP is arguing that the K-to- 12 will make them lose millions of pesos because will be no enrollment in their collegiate courses in two years because high schools were extended for another two years.

To address such concern, Fr. Gregg Bañaga and CEAP president earlier urged the government to increase the subsidy under the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) and to subsidize more students in private high schools under the Education Service Contracting provision in GASTPE.

“Instead of building more public schools, why don’t they [Department of Education] just bring students from the public schools to occupy the seats in the private schools,” Banaga pointed out.