SENATOR Grace Poe is urging education authorities to sit down and firm up a plan for a seamless transition for senior high school students affected by the discontinuation of the program in State and Local Universities and Colleges.

Based on the data, 17,700 Grade 11 students will be affected by the latest memorandum order of CHED.

Poe said there should be an assessment to know if public schools nationwide have the facilities and personnel to accept the expected influx of students.

“Wag naman natin basta pabayaan na lang ang ating mga estudyante,” Poe said.

“Hindi sila dapat gumastos nang malaki sa tuition o mapuwersang hindi na mag-aral dahil walang pantustos ang pamilya,” she added.

The lawmaker further said that the SHS program should hold its promise of employability and more competitive graduates, not as a burden to Filipino learners.