Strand and Statehood of Senior High School – Technical Vocational Livelihood Graduates of a Public Senior High School

Seven years after the implementation of the K to 12 curriculum in the Philippines' basic education system, which added two years of senior high school, students are now offered four curriculum exits: higher education, middle-level work, entrepreneurship, and employment. However, previous research revealed that despite the rationale of the K-12 program that promises job-ready and entrepreneurial skills after graduation, more Filipinos preferred a college diploma over immediate employment. With this, the study traced the statehood of senior high school–technical vocational livelihood (TVL) graduates of Lambayong National High School across seven batches. It also assessed whether their current pursuits aligned with their chosen TVL strands. The research design was descriptive survey research design, which was employed using validated survey questionnaires on one thousand and two respondents, wherein frequency and percentage were utilized. Findings revealed that fifty-one percent of the graduates pursued higher education, eleven percent were in professional employment, twenty-one percent engaged in middle-skill jobs, and four percent ventured into entrepreneurship, while thirteen percent were unemployed. Moreover, the overall alignment between their taken SHS strands and their statehood was seventy-two percent. The results suggest that TVL graduates value higher education to enhance skills learned in SHS, aiming for better career opportunities both locally and abroad. Moreover, the study highlights the importance of alignment between SHS-TVL strands and graduates’ post-secondary paths, demonstrating the TVL track’s relevance in preparing students for future endeavors. Furthermore, statistical analysis confirmed that the graduates’ socio-economic profiles significantly influenced their strand selection. These insights informed the development of a policy brief aimed at enhancing the implementation and effectiveness of the TVL track in the Senior High School program.