The Open High School Program:

Learning Anywhere , Anytime

By: Lolita M. Andrada, Ph.D

Discussants:Mr. Gaddao IIMs. GalaMr. GalelaMs. Guadalquiver

What is the Open High School Program (OHSP)?

The OHSP is an alternative mode of secondary education that uses distance learning.

It caters to learners who are unable to attend the regular class program due to physical impairment, work, financial difficulties, distance of home to school.

The Education for All (EFA) goal is to making every Filipino functionally literate by 2015.

Its philosophy: Provision of Batasang Pangbansa (BP) 232 or the Education Act of 1982 “The state shall provide the right of every individual to relevant quality education regardless of: sex, age, creed, socioeconomic status physical and mental conditions racial or ethnic origin, political and others.”

FOREWORDIt is an inalienable right of every individual to receive

education which will enable him/her to become a productive citizen. The Constitution, recognizing this right, explicitly mandates that every individual regardless of age, sex, race, political or socio-economic status must enjoy access to quality and relevant basic education. To this end, the Bureau of Secondary Education has designed the open High School Program (OHSP), as an alternative mode of secondary education. The program offers an opportunity to those who desire to complete the high school curriculum outside of the formal school structure.

This OHSP Handbook aims to guide the schools interested in implementing the program. The implementers are encouraged to modify or adapt the content of the handbook to suit their local conditions within the framework of an open learning system.

DR. LOLITA M. ANDRADADirector IV,

Bureau of SecondaryEducation

Department of EducationJuly 2008

(The background and Rationale)Reaching the unschooled and retaining the under

schooled have always been a major challenge to the public school system. In the SY 2011-2012, the net enrollment rate at the secondary level was placed at 61.14%, indicating that 39% of children of high school age remained out of school. Compounding the problem of low participation is the high early-school leaving rate w/c in the same school year was placed at 8%.

The cohort survival rate in the same school year was registered at 78.44%, implying that some 22% of those in school were being left behind.

The completion rate was recorded at 73.34% in the same school year confirming the problem of high attrition rate at the secondary level. Across indicators, the problem was greater among boys than girls.

We must look at schools as no longer a place, but a process that can take place anytime and anywhere is like in school. And w/c an open learning system that will make education accessible to everyone.

(The Issue and Challenges)

The open High School Program was designed originally as an alternative learning system for those who are unable to start or complete secondary education due to problems of:

TimeDistanceEducation designPhysical impairmentFinancial difficultiesLiving areas

This design inadvertently created the impression that the program was for at-risk students only.

Moreover, the belief being that the only way to learn is by going to school.

Goal and Objectives of the OHSPThe OHSP is aligned with the School

Improvement Plan. To produce functionally literate

learner/graduate or one who has a mastery of: 1. basic competencies2. problem – solving,3. productive member of his family and

community.Provides opportunity to all elementary

graduates, high school drop-outs, and successful examinees of the Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT) to complete secondary education.

Its philosophy is based on the provision of Batasang Pangbansa (BP) 232 or the Education Act of 1982 “The state shall provide the right of every individual to relevant quality education regardless of:

sex, age, creed, socioeconomic statusphysical and mental conditions

racial or ethnic origin, political and other affiliation.”

Prevents potential school leavers and encourages those who are out of school to finish secondary education.

Reduces high school drop outs and increases participation rate.

Increase achievement rate through quality distance education.

Who can participate in the program? What are the requirements for

participation?The program is open to all public or private

secondary schools. Secondary schools interested in implementing the program should meet the followingRequirements:1. Submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) addressed to

the Schools Division Superintendent (SDS), copy furnished the Regional Office and the Director of the Bureau of Secondary Education (BSE).

2. Undergo a capacity building program to be conducted by the BSE in preparation for accreditation as a participating school.

3. Make available learning facilities and equipment in the school e.g., library, computer room, laboratory room, workshop room, gymnasium, etc.

4. Link with the community for the students’ access to facilities like public library, baranggay learning center, internet cafe, public sports facilities and those that will help the students in their self-managed learning.

Who are qualified to enrol in the OHSP?The program is open to Filipino learners who

can demonstrate capacity for independent learning and are willing to undertake self-directed learning.

Below are pre-requisites for enrolment:1. Submission of any of the following: High School Report Card (in case of drop-outs) Elementary Report Card (for high school

entrants) PEPT qualifying certificate

2. Passing of the Independent Learning Readiness Test (ILRT) and the InformalReading Inventory (IRI) test

(Appendices B and C). The ILRT assesses the learner’s reading level as basis for class grouping.

3. Interview of parent/guardian to get a complete profile of the learner.

How shall the learner be evaluated?

1. Evaluation of learning in each subject can include written and oral tests and the assessment of required outputs.2. Promotion is based on the fulfillment of requirements and mastery of at least 75% of the competencies in each subject area.

3. Acceleration by learning area and by year level shall be determined in highly meritorious cases upon fulfillment of the requirements and mastery of at least 90% of the competencies in the subject area. 4. Retention of the learner in the program is for a maximum period of six years with the option to be mainstreamed in the regular program anytime within the period ofstudy.

The following shallConstitute a Portfolio:

Initial Summary – states the total rating of the learners in the subject area

General essay – states the past experiences and the kind of learning for which recognition is sought

The following supporting documents shall be needed:

Written examinations Performance ratings Products/outputs submitted Eyewitness’ testimonies from peers, community

leaders and Employer (if employed) Other documents that will provide evidence of meritorious performance.

Mechanism of Implementation:1. Independent Learning Readiness

Assessment. Learners who wish to participate in

the Open High Sschool Program shall take the Independent Learning Readines Assessment to be administered by the school, the results of w/c shall be the basis for placing them in the appropriate learning mode:

a) Learners, who are not yet ready for (ILRS),are placed in the transition program w/c will provide a bridging curriculum focused on the development of the learning-to-learn skills. The program is school-based, teacher-guided, and is self-paced. There is no definite time period required for completing this program. As soon as learners who are placed under the guidance of the teacher have acquired adequate mastery of the learning-to-learn skills, then they can move to the next level.

b.) When the learners are assessed to be almost ready for independent learning, then they may be placed in the blended learning program when undertaking the required curriculum. This a combination of school-based, face-to-face learning and distance learning or home schooling. This means that learners may be in school for lesson that required guided learning if the teacher feels that learners need direct supervision in accomplishing the task.

c.) Learners who are ready for the independent learning may do the entire curriculum on their own, or be home-schooled, w/ the option to seek teacher’s guidance or help from the experts or resource person in the community.

2.Learning Contract. Once the learners get into the program, they and their parents/guardians are require to sign a learning contract.After they are oriented on the mechanics and the requirements of the curriculum including assessment.

3. Curriculum. The core curriculum prescribed foe these

in the formal learning system is the same curriculum that learners in the OPEN HIGH SCHOOL will go through, the only difference being the mode of learning.

Modules shall be used. These are arranged following the phase of learning for understanding.

The tasks as contained in the learning materials are aligned w/ the standards and are differentiated based on the capacity of the learners.

4. Working w/ Teacher-Facilitators. Teacher-facilitators will schedule a period

of interaction w/ learners, the frequency of w/c will depend on need. The purpose is to ensure that learners are making progress and assistance is provided on a timely basis.

5. Assessments . Assessment are a critical component of the

learning materials. The emphasis is on formative or developmental assessment as a quality assurance tool.

For the OHSP to succeed, the following conditions are necessary:a) The learners must be ready for self-

directed learning.b) The program must be owned by the

school and community.c) A rigid monitoring and evaluation

system must be in place and so the school must be able to keep of the learners’ progress and apply the appropriate intervention when necessary.

Pls. Bare in mindLearning doesn’t depend on the four walls of the classroom; it is on your enthusiasm on how

you take it into account.Therefore

Never mind any hindrance in your life; proceed to your dreams and act on your

ambition.