Law Summary
Declaration of Policy
- The State aims to increase access to quality secondary education through alternative programs.
- Focus is on overcoming barriers such as personal circumstances, geographical location, socioeconomic status, and physical disabilities.
- Supports non-formal, informal, indigenous, self-learning, independent, and out-of-school study systems responsive to community needs.
- Aligns with Article XIV, Section 2, paragraph 4 of the 1987 Constitution.
Definitions
- Community Adviser (Tagapayong Pansamahan): Community-based adviser assisting learners in balancing study, community service, and leisure.
- Learning Center: Designated space (part of mother high school or separate) for research, additional learning, and practical activities.
- Mother High School (Inang Paaralan): A regular secondary school with full administrative control and instructional supervision over learning centers; serves as the program headquarters.
- Open High School Teacher: Regular mother high school teacher responsible for instruction, evaluation, and record-keeping.
- Open Learning: Learner-centered and flexible educational approach allowing learning anytime and anywhere.
- Source Person (Gurong Kadluan): Specialist resource person providing practical/industrial skills education.
- Teacher Adviser (Gurong Tagapatnubay): Guidance counselor coordinating evaluation and reporting on learners.
Establishment of the Open High School System (OHSS)
- The OHSS is established under the Department of Education as an alternative secondary education modality.
Coverage
- Applies to public secondary schools authorized to deliver open learning via self-instructional materials, multi-channel methods, and community partnerships.
- Includes other qualified institutions authorized to implement OHSS.
Learners Eligible for OHSS
- Youth and adults with elementary education completion.
- High school qualifiers through the Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT) and ALS Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Test.
Administration and Functions
- DepED administers the OHSS and establishes an OHSS Unit tasked with:
- Policy formulation and program development.
- Monitoring and evaluation of open learning initiatives.
- Development and validation of instructional materials.
- Consulting with governmental and private entities.
- Promulgating guidelines and recommending annual budgets.
- Performing other necessary tasks.
Curriculum Content
- The OHSS curriculum adopts the K to 12 Enhanced Basic Education Curriculum standards and learning competencies.
Personnel Recruitment and Incentives
- Teachers and advisers are selected from current mother high school staff.
- Community Advisers and Source Persons are hired by LGUs and receive honoraria.
- After full K to 12 Senior High implementation, DepED divisions will manage hiring and compensation of Source Persons.
- Priority for hiring new Open High School Teachers given to qualified, locally-hired personnel with prior experience.
Training of Teaching Staff
- DepED oversees training of Open High School Teachers, Teacher Advisers, and Community Advisers.
- Training coordinated with LGUs and NGOs.
- Includes non-teaching stakeholders who support OHSS.
Establishment of Learning Centers
- Each DepED division must establish learning centers in authorized mother high schools.
- LGUs may also establish centers but these remain under mother high school and DepED jurisdiction.
- DepED divisions hire Open High School Teachers to manage centers full-time.
Private Sector Participation
- Private institutions may establish their own learning centers contingent on DepED standards, criteria, and approval.
Memorandum of Agreement
- Encourages DepED and DILG to formalize cooperation through a Memorandum of Agreement.
- DepED promotes partnerships with civil society and other service providers for participatory program implementation.
Appropriations
- Initial funding charged to current year DepED Open High School Program budget.
- Subsequent funding included in annual General Appropriations Act for DepED.
Implementing Rules and Regulations
- DepED, in consultation with DILG, must issue implementing rules within 90 days of effectivity.
Separability Clause
- Invalidity of any provision does not affect the validity of remaining provisions.
Repealing Clause
- Laws, orders, rules, and other issuances inconsistent with this Act are repealed or modified accordingly.
Effectivity Clause
- The Act takes effect 15 days after publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.