Manila, June 6 -- A total of 170 schools in Western Visayas and Negros Occidental will implement the pilot Strengthened Senior High School (SHS) curriculum starting this school year.

Hernani Escullar Jr., information officer of the Department of Education in Western Visayas (DepEd-6), said 55 schools from Region 6 proper, covering Panay and Guimaras, and 115 in various divisions in Negros Occidental were chosen to implement the pilot curriculum.

The Strengthened SHS curriculum now offers only two tracks, Academic and Technical-Professional (Tech-Pro), a reduction from the previous four, Escullar said.

Under the old SHS program, students could choose from Academic, Technical-Vocational-Livelihood, Arts and Design, and Sports tracks.

"W...