Frequently Ask Questions(Easy Access to Commerce, College, Entrepreneurship through Sustainable Services to K to 12 Senior High Graduates )
What is Senior High School?
How will SHS affect my college education?
- Senior High School (SHS) covers the last two years of the K to 12 program and includes Grades 11 and 12. In SHS, students will go through a core curriculum and subjects under a track of their choice.
- Yes. These two additional years will equip learners with skills that will better prepare them for the future, whether it be:
- Employment
- Entrepreneurship
- Skills Development (Further Tech-Voc training)
- Higher Education (College)
- Not necessarily.
- Senior High School “completes” basic education by making sure that the high school graduate is equipped for work, entrepreneurship, or higher education. This is a step up from the 10-year cycle where high school graduates still need further education (and expenses) to be ready for the world.
- SHS will be offered free in public schools and there will be a voucher program in place for public junior high school completers as well as ESC beneficiaries of private high schools should they choose to take SHS in private institutions.
- This means that the burden of expenses for the additional two years need not be completely shouldered by parents.
- Academic (which includes Business, Science & Engineering, Humanities & Social Science, and a General Academic strand)
- Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (with highly specialized subjects with TESDA qualifications)
- Sports
- Arts & Design
- SHS Students may pick a track based on how he or she will want to proceed after high school graduation.
- SHS cannot guarantee employment; but it creates the following opportunities:
- Standard requirements will be applied to make sure graduates know enough to be hirable.
- You will now be able to apply for TESDA Certificates of Competency (COCs) and National Certificates (NCs) to provide you with better work opportunities.
- Partnerships with different companies will be offered for technical and vocational courses.
- You can now get work experience while studying; and companies can even hire you after you graduate.
- Entrepreneurship courses will now be included. Instead of being employed, you can choose to start your own business after graduating, or choose to further your education by going to college.
How will SHS affect my college education?
- SHS, as part of the K to 12 Basic Curriculum, was developed in line with the curriculum of the Commission of Higher Education (CHED) – the governing body for college and university education in the Philippines.
- This ensures that by the time you graduate from Senior High School, you will have the standard knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to go to college.
- Students will undergo assessments to determine their strengths and interests. These will include an aptitude test, a career assessment exam, and an occupational interest inventory for high schools. Career advocacy activities will also be conducted to help guide students in choosing their specialization or track.
- Specializations or tracks to be offered will be distributed according to the resources available in the area, the needs and interests of most students, and the opportunities and demands of the community.
- Existing public and private schools, including colleges, universities and technical institutions may offer Senior High School.
- There may also be stand-alone Senior High Schools established by DepEd or private organizations.
- SHS modelling schools listed in DepEd Order No. 71, s. 2012 may implement the SHS program, but they must go through the process of applying a provisional SHS permit, and must meet the standards and requirements for the SHS Program.
- This program enables Grade 10 completers from public and private Junior High Schools (JHS) to enroll in a 1) private high school, 2) private university or college, 3) state or local university or college, or 4) technical-vocational school, which will offer the Senior High School program starting School Year 2016-2017.
- Through the Voucher Program, students and their families are able to exercise greater choice in deciding the Senior High School program that is most relevant to their needs and career goals. A certain amount will be subsidized by DepEd to private SHS to offset the cost of tuition.
- All JHS completers from public junior high schools are qualified to receive the full voucher values.
- Private junior high school completers who are on Education Service Contracting (ESC) grants will receive 80% of the full voucher value.
- JHS completers from private schools and non-DepEd schools can also apply for vouchers worth 80% of the full voucher value.
- Students will be notified of their eligibility prior to completing Grade 10. No monetary value is given to the student directly instead the subsidy is remitted to the Senior High School where he/she will enroll.
- The voucher program can provide high-quality education for all types of students. Even those who normally do not have the financial means will be able to choose from different schools. They will not be limited to the schools that are provided by the DepEd.
- The actual amount of the vouchers will depend on the location of the SHS where the student will enroll.
- JHS completers who will enroll at Liceo de Cagayan University Senior High School will receive a full voucher value of PhP 20,000.
- The voucher must be used in the school year immediately following the year of JHS completion. A voucher recipient may only be able to avail of the voucher subsidy for two (2) successive years.
- Non-DepEd schools may charge tuitions that are higher than the voucher subsidy amounts. LICEO WILL NOT COLLECT ADDITIONAL TUITION from students who are admitted under the DepEd voucher program.