FACT CHECK: No DepEd announcement abolishing Grades 11 and 12

The Department of Education has repeatedly debunked false information on the supposed removal of the K to 12 program

AT A GLANCE

• The Department of Education (DepEd) has not announced the abolition of Grades 11 and 12, and the claim circulating on social media is false.
• DepEd confirmed that the K to 12 program remains in effect as mandated by law, and advised the public to rely on official channels for accurate information.
• While the claim is debunked, discussions about revising the senior high school curriculum have emerged in Congress, with proposals for educational reform.

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Claim: The Department of Education (DepEd) announced that Grades 11 and 12 will be abolished starting June 2027.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: A Facebook account posted a series of graphics with the claim on August 17 and 18. The post incorporated the official DepEd logo.

It also included the caption, “Good news talaga. K-12 no more,” along with a link where readers can supposedly find the list of affected schools and the source of the claim.

As of writing, the series of posts have accumulated 139 reactions, 35 comments, and 234 shares.

The facts: The announcement is fake. There are no official reports or advisories from DepEd stating that Grades 11 and 12 will be removed starting next academic year. The K to 12 program remains in effect as it is mandated by law under the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013.

On March 14, DepEd debunked a similar claim alleging the removal of the K to 12 program for the current academic year. The department advised the public to refer exclusively to its official channels for announcements and verified information regarding basic education.

K to 12 debates: While claims on social media regarding the supposed removal of the K to 12 program are fake, discussions on revising or removing senior high school have resurfaced in Congress.

In June 2025, Senator Jinggoy Estrada filed Senate Bill No. 3001 or the proposed Rationalized Basic Education Act. The bill seeks to remove senior high school and restore a four-year secondary education system. In the same year, DepEd launched its pilot implementation of the revised K to 12 senior high school curriculum, which reduces core subjects for Grade 11 students and simplifies educational tracks amid ongoing questions regarding the program’s effectiveness.

In August 2026, Republic Act No. 12322 amended Republic Act No. 10533 to remove the mandatory requirement for the “spiral progression” approach. The new law gives DepEd the flexibility to adopt whichever teaching methods it deems most effective for learners. (READ: What removal of mandatory ‘spiral progression’ means for K to 12 program)

Suspicious links: The misleading post provided no evidence to support its claim. Instead, it included links to supposed official announcements, claiming that the list of affected schools and the source article could be accessed through them. The post even used a URL containing terms like “list-areas” and “DepEd-article” to appear legitimate. A closer look at the links reveals that they redirect to an unrelated online shopping website.

Debunked: Rappler has previously debunked false claims about the removal of the K to 12 program:

• FACT CHECK: K to 12 program not abolished
• FACT CHECK: No law passed abolishing K-12 program
• FACT CHECK: Arroyo did not say the K to 12 program will be abolished

– Lyndee Buenagua/Rappler.com

Lyndee Buenagua is journalist based in Bicol and Baguio, and an alumna of Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2024.

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