Aquino signs ‘Open High School’ law

EDITORIAL

President Aquino signed into Law last July 9, 2015, Republic Act 10665, or the Open High School System Act (OHSS), is expected to give access for better education to more Filipinos.

Baguio Rep. Nicasio M. Aliping, Jr. who co-authored the Law said that “This significant law can help alleviate our nation from poverty. Adults who dropped out of high school due to different circumstances, but wish to continue their studies now have the opportunity to do so through the open learning modality.”

He said the country has many remote areas and out of school youths who can’t attend high school due to distance. Through the OHSS, these youths will be given an opportunity through its distance learning modality.

The law mandates the Department of Education (DepEd) to establish in every division an open learning center in an authorized secondary school, which will be called the “Mother High School.”

This program is designed to allow eligible students—both young and adults—to learn on their own without necessarily having to attend formal classes. It will be provided without cost to those who qualify.

Teachers in the Mother High School will be tapped to implement the Open High School Program. It shall adopt the K-to-12 enhanced basic education curriculum.

Additional community advisers—or resource persons in industrial fields such as farming, handicraft making, and auto-mechanics—will also be hired by local government units to guide Open High School Students.

An Open High School System unit shall also be formed under the DepEd to monitor the implementation of the new Law.

An individual program like OHSS is not going to solve our educational system’s problems. But if this successfully executed together with other ideas it will make a large and better difference for the nation’s future, Aliping said.