PASIG CITY, Philippines – The Department of Education (DepEd) has set February 15, 2016 as the deadline of application for the Senior High School (SHS) Voucher Program for Grade 10 completers who are not Education Service Contracting (ESC) grantees, who will pursue SHS in June 2016.
The SHS voucher program is a form of government subsidy which offers discount in school fees when a student enrolls in a private school that offers the SHS program, starting SY 2016-2017. It is intended for Grade 10 completers who wish to pursue SHS education in private high schools, local universities & colleges; state universities & colleges; and technical and vocational Schools.
Education Secretary Armin A. Luistro said the voucher program is a support mechanism to ease the financial load of parents who will send their children to SHS.
Non-ESC students from private Junior High School (JHS) may apply for vouchers subject to an assessment of their socioeconomic status. If deemed qualified, they will also receive 80% of the voucher value.
A qualified voucher recipient who successfully enrolls in a private SHS Provider becomes a Voucher Program Beneficiary (VPB). The SHS Voucher Program will only cover two years regardless of the number of years it takes for the student to finish SHS. Vouchers are only valid if redeemed within the first semester of the school year immediately after the completion of JHS. Voucher payments will be released on a per semester basis to the SHS provider where the VPB is enrolled.
The implementation of SHS starting SY 2016-2017 completes the K to 12 curriculum which started at kinder and ends at Grade 12. Depending on their skills and inclination, Grade 10 completers can choose from four major strands namely academic, technical-vocational livelihood, sports, and arts and design.
Considered automatic beneficiaries are Grade 10 completers from public schools and those who are ESC grantees. “If you belong to these two categories, you need not apply because you are automatically covered,” Luistro said.
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