The document discusses the implementation of the Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS VP) in the Philippines. The SHS VP aims to increase access to senior high school and provide choice for learners by engaging private educational institutions. It outlines the objectives, eligibility requirements, administration by the Private Education Assistance Committee, and estimated number of students who will utilize vouchers. Vouchers cover two years of senior high school tuition at participating private or public universities for eligible grade 10 completers.

1. Implementation of
the Senior High
School Voucher
Program
Reported by:
Marishtel A. Dalosa

2. It is a policy of the Department to uphold the right of
every Filipino to quality basic education whether through
public provision or through programs and arrangements
that are based on the principles of public-private
partnership. Consistent with Section 10 of RA No. 10533
Deped engages the services of private educational
institutions and non-Deped public schools offering senior
high school through programs of assistance under E-
GASTPE.

3. One such program of assistance is the SHS VP, which aims to
increase access to SHS and provide greater choice to learners
and their families in deciding in the SHS program that caters
to their needs and career goals. In accordance with Section 22
of the Implementing Rules and Regulation of RA No. 10533.
Deped shall make SHS VP available primarily to Grade 10
completers in public schools but shall also make it available
to qualified grade 10 completers in private educational
institutions, subject to compliance with the qualifications and
guidelines provided in this Deped Order.

4. The Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) has been
contracted by the DepEd to administer the SHS VP. PEAC is
the trustee of the Fund for Assistance to Private Education
(FAPE), a perpetual fund created to provide assistance to
private education in the country. Specifically, for SHS VP
application, PEAC shall coordinate with DepEd and other
stakeholders to ensure that applications are processed and
results are promptly released. PEAC is represented nationally
by its National Secretariat (PEAC NS) and in each region by its
Regional Secretariats (PEAC RS).

5. POLICY OBJECTIVES
 Vouchers will reduce the institutional pressures on the
Department of providing SHS program to public JHS completers
directly through DepEd schools within a very short period of time.
 Engaging the private sector through vouchers would also
minimize capital costs associated with constructing and
equipping classrooms and laboratories, which, in turn, would
result in significant near term cash savings.
 The subsidy would lessen the financial impact on colleges and
universities which will experience reduced enrollment in the
initial years of the SHS program

6. More importantly, the proposed SHS subsidy program
will enhance school diversity, dynamism, and
empowerment, and enable choice for students and their
families leading, ultimately, to the very purpose for the K
to 12 reform: relevant and high-quality education.

7. Although vouchers are automatically given to all public school
Grade 10 completers and ESC recipients, it is not expected that all
of them will avail of the voucher program.
Student and family preferences will be influenced by the availability
of non-DepEd schools in the area, their willingness and capacity to
pay tuition top-ups, or their preference for local DepEd schools.
The DepEd estimates that around 400,000 students or
approximately 40% of the public Grade 10 completers will shift to
non-DepEd schools in SHS every school year starting 2016.

8. Vouchers must be used in the school year immediately
following the year of JHS completion. The SHS voucher
shall cover two (2) years of SHS, regardless of whether
the voucher recipient decides to transfer to another non-
DepEd school within those two years. A voucher
recipient that will take more than two years to complete
his SHS education can only avail of the voucher subsidy
for two (2) years.
SHELF LIFE

9. All non-DepEd schools with a SHS permit from the
DepEd can accept voucher students. 4 Vouchers can be
redeemed in any region and the value is determined
Voucher values will vary for State Universities and
Colleges (SUCs) and Local Universities and Colleges
(LUCs) since they already receive government funding in
their regular budgets. In consideration of this, SUCs and
LUCs may redeem 50% of the voucher value.
PROVIDER ELIGIBILITY

10.  Learners who completed JHS in public schools operated by
Deped and in public or private educational institutions not
directly operated by Deped but granted by Deped with a
permit or government recognition to operate are eligible for
a SHS VP.
 Learners who completed grade 10 as passers of the
Alternative Learning System Accreditation and Equivalency
(ALS A&E) Test or as passers of the Presentation Portfolio
Assessment, and of the Philippine Education Placement
Test also eligible for SHS VP.
STUDENT ELIGIBILITY

11. For brevity, these learners shall be referred to as Grade 10
completers. Grade 10 completers are subdivided into (1)
automatically qualified learners, and (2) voucher applicants.

12. AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFIED LEARNERS
– Only Grade 10 completers in SY 2020-2021 who fall under the categories below
automatically qualify for vouchers and are considered qualified voucher recipients
(QVRs). They do not need to apply for vouchers.
 Category A: All grade 10 completers in Public Schools operated by
Deped
 Category B: All grade 10 completers in SUCs and LUCs
 Category C: All grade 10 completers in private schools who are
ESC grantees

13. VOUCHER APPLICANTS
– Only learners in the categories below need to apply for vouchers and shall be
referred to as voucher applicants (Vas). Acceptance of VAs shall be determined
using set parameters subject to the availability of funds.
 Category D: all Grade 10 completers in private schools in SY
2020-2021 who are not ESC grantees
 Category E: All Grade 10 completers who completed Grade 10
prior to SY 2020-2021 but not earlier than 2016 and had not
previously enrolled for grade 11

14.  Category F: Learners who had passed the ALS A&E Test for Grade
10 not earlier than 2016 and had not previously enrolled for
grade 11 or ALS learners who passed or will take the Portfolio
Assessment in SY 2021-2022
 Category G: Learners who passed the PEPT for Grade 10 not
earlier than 2016 and had not previously enrolled for Grade 11 or
will take the PEPT in SY 2021-2022