PREPARING THE GRADE 10 STUDENTS FOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL(SHS)

Post date: Feb 4, 2016 2:03:45 AM

By: RIZALINA A. CUENCO

Master Teacher I

Bataan National High School

City of Balanga

What is Senior High School? Are the grade 10 students really ready for Senior High School? Will SHS mean two more years of High School? Will it mean additional expenses? Will SHS give the better job opportunities for them? How will these students choose their SHS Specialization? If a student opts not to pursue the SHS, what will happen to him/her?

The questions above are the common questions thought of and shared to by people in all walks of life regarding the Senior High School SHS path. These are the timely questions specially to all teachers, parents, guardians and students who are in grade ten. Thus, someone or somebody has to speak for them to enlighten and lead them in order to be prepared for the Senior High School (Grade 11-12) this coming school year 2016-2017.

- The Senior High School is part of the K-12 program designed by the Department of Education wherein the students will undergo a core curriculum and subjects under a track based on the student’s preference. It is a curriculum developed in line with the curriculum of Higher Education (CHED) which is the governing body for tertiary level in the Philippines.

The on-going K-12 program is adept with the DepED vision to prepare Filipino students enhance their values and competencies in order for them to reach their full potentials and contribute meaningfully in building the nation. The Department of Education and its stakeholders must have a careful planning in guiding the twenty first century learners. Learners who are ready to be part of the ASEAN Economic Community (ASEAN Integration) and are determined to achieve the best skills and competencies.

The Department of Education is at present taking all the initiatives to prepare the school officials down to the stakeholders for the massive implementation of the Senior High School this coming school year 2016-2017. There were series of News updates published on their site like: Career Guidance Program intended for Grade Ten Students to be delivered by the advisers, The Career Guidance campaign and Early registration guidelines for incoming SHS students, K to 12 partnership guidelines,the Opening of application for Senior High School teachers and the subsidy for SHS fees through voucher program.

Bataan National High School which is one of the leading public schools in the province of Bataan is SHS ready. The school responded to the timely education reform and vision to develop student wholistically. In addition, it is optimistic to see to it that each alumnus continuously excell in his/her chosen track. As proofs; there are on-going construction of school buildings for grade 11, the school has conducted Parents and Students Career Orientation last September 12, 2015. The orientation was intended to help the parents/guardians of grade ten students in answering the questions stated above about the SHS. The School Guidance Center met and instructed the Grade Ten Advisers to teach the Modular Career Guidance Program (Modules 1 – 3). Module 1 is about Embarking on a Journey on Self-awareness, Module 2: Examining the destination and Module 3: Charting Your Own Choice. These Modules aim to open the student awareness on their chosen track. The modules were taught based on the given time frame. In addition to these, BNHS also conducted one-day Career Guidance Seminar with the theme “Abutin ang Pangarap Kaakibat ang K-12” last October 14, 2015”. The school invited knowledgeable and dynamic Resource Speakers to enhance the grade 10 students’ wise decision making based on their talents and interests. Finally, the order of the Department of Education to conduct early registration for Senior High School Students was realized On October 20 – 23, 2015. Almost 100 per cent of the students from BNHS registered while the students from other schools were also accomodated.

“Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice. It is something not to be waited for. But rather, something to be achieved” This quote came from William Jenning Bryan and this is a timely quotation for the Department of Education and all stakeholders on the soon to open SHS. Our student’s destiny rely on us, as we aim high we must have the workable mechanism on the right place and time. Remember the ASEAN Integration, we have to prepare our students for quality education standards in order to be globally competetive. Finally, let us develop the core competencies and qualifications for a type of job/occupation through intensive trainings of mentors in order to equip our students with the standardized skills.