DepEd Eastern Visayas braces for Senior High School program

TACLOBAN CITY, April 7 (PNA) -– The Department is Education (DepEd) in Eastern Visayas is stepping up its preparation to accommodate more than 72,000 enrolees in the region, representing the first batch of learners who will take part in the full implementation of senior high school (SHS) program.

Key government officials gathered on Wednesday at the Robinsons Place here to launch a 60-day countdown prior to the full implementation of SHS, which covers the last two years of the Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (K to 12) program.

DepEd Regional Director Luisa Bautista Yu said 68,447 of the 72,767 Grade 10 students have signed up as Grade 11 learners starting June 6, 2016.

“We are happy with the acceptance of SHS program in the region. As of this week, 94 percent of Grade 10 students are registered. I’m sure that SHS will open on June 6, 2016 and we are prepared for that,” Yu said.

At least 65 secondary schools have completed the construction of new buildings. Works are ongoing in 266 campuses and 47 more projects will be start this month.

“If in case some buildings are not yet ready by June 6, 2016, schools heads have already identified available spaces as classrooms for Grade 11,” Yu added.

The education department is hiring 1,924 SHS teachers that will equip learners with skills that better prepare them for employment, entrepreneurship, skills development, and higher education.

This early, the DepEd regional office have started the bidding process for the procurement of learning equipment of Grade 12 learners in 2017.

SHS modelling has started in academic year 2012-2013 at Palo National High School and Merida Vocational School in Leyte with 100 graduates. The piloting has expanded to more schools, producing nearly a thousand graduates.

Roselyn Caidoy, 20, one of the graduates of SHS modelling program lauded the government’s SHS program. She is now a receptionist of Hukad sa Golden Cowrie restaurant Tacloban branch.

“Through SHS, I was able to acquire skills needed to land a job offered to college graduates,” Caidoy said.

The program covers eight learning areas as part of its core curriculum, and adds specific tracks (similar to college courses) based on four disciplines.

These are academic (which includes business, science and engineering, humanities and social science, and a general academic strand), technical-vocational-livelihood (with highly specialized subjects with TESDA qualifications), sports, and arts and design.

SHS Students may pick a track based on how he or she will want to proceed after high school graduation.

Existing public and private schools, including colleges, universities and technical institutions may offer SHS. There may also be stand-alone SHS campuses established by DepEd or private organizations.

SHS will be offered free in public schools and there will be a voucher program in place for public junior high school completers should they choose to take SHS in private institutions. In the case of Eastern Visayas, the voucher is PHP17,500 per student. (PNA)

FFC/SARWELL Q. MENIANO