Free open high school system soon in Phl

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Soon, out of school youth and adults and children will enjoy a free “open high school system.”

House Bill 4085 creating a “Free Open High School System” (OHSS) as part of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) alternative secondary education program has already been approved on third and final reading at the House of Representatives,  Baguio lawmaker Nicasio Aliping Jr. gladly announced.

 Aliping is so optimistic that an Open High school system in the country will help indigent students have flexibility in their studies.

 The OHSS is a system of delivering educational services to high school students utilizing print, radio, television and computer-based communications, satellite broadcasting, teleconferencing, and other multi-media learning and teaching technologies that allow students to study on their own without having to regularly attend classes in conventional classrooms.

 Aliping explained “the measure will provide equal opportunity for adults and children of high school age who are out of school to avail of free open high school education through the distance learning modality”.

 HB 4085 also seeks the adoption of the National Secondary Education Curriculum (NSEC) using the Philippine Secondary Schools Learning Competencies (PSSC).

 “Recruited teachers and support personnel in the OHSS will receive incentives, monetary compensation, honoraria and will be trained in relevant programs”, the Baguio lawmaker said.

 As Vice chairman for the committee on higher and technical education, Aliping has authored and co-authored bills that seek to improve education and help deserving indigent students finish their studies.

 Aliping also co-authored HB 3575, seeking to “Strengthen the Ladderized Interface Between Technical-Vocational Education And Training and Higher Education”. It seeks to provide flexibility between Technical Vocational School and Bachelor of Science Education.  Students who finished Technical Courses have the option to continue to college courses.

Because of poverty however, many indigents can’t even finish high school.

Aliping said that even before they go to higher education, “the government should give them flexibility in their studies, an alternative system that can help them finish high school and eventually get a college education”.