THE STUDENT Council Alliance of the Philippines has expressed strong opposition to Senate Bill No. 3001, filed by Senator Jinggoy Estrada, which seeks to abolish the Senior High School program.

SCAP emphasized that scrapping SHS is “not a fix—it’s a failure to confront the real roots of the education crisis.”

“Abolishing SHS is a dangerous shortcut,” said Angela Diamartin, SCAP National Chairperson.

“The problems—underfunding, unemployment, and overburdened students—are real. And this is the reality because the government lets it happen. Removing SHS will only deepen existing inequities, especially for public, rural, and low-income learners who rely on the program as a pathway to work or college,” she added.

Senator Estrada defended the bill, saying it aims to address inefficiencies in the education system.

“This bill is a practical step to fix our basic education system—make it more efficient, use resources better, and give students a more meaningful learning experience,” Estrada said.

SCAP is calling on Congress to shelve SB 3001 and any other proposals that aim to abolish the SHS program.