MANILA, Philippines – Around 40 high school students trooped to the office of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Quezon City on Friday to protest the agency’s K+12 program, which will add two more school years for students.

The protesters are members of the League of Filipino Students, a militant youth organization.

The group said the additional two years will be a burden to poor families who may not have the budget for extra school years.

The demonstration lasted for 10 minutes before the group dispersed.

The DepEd earlier announced that it will implement the K+12 program for the next school year.

High school will comprise 6 years for those starting their freshman year in June.

First year high school will now be grade 7, while the third and fourth years of high school are grades 9 and 10, or junior high.

Senior high will include the additional 2 levels of grades 11 and 12. -- Report from Doland Castro, ABS-CBN News