DepEd eyes improvements for SHS voucher program

The Department of Education (DepEd) is pushing reforms in its Senior High School voucher program.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the Department is coordinating with private school partners to ensure smoother implementation of the voucher system and better alignment of priorities between public and private education sectors.

"Sa ngayon, nakatutok tayo sa pagpapabuti at pagpapalawig ng implementasyon ng ating voucher programs sa bansa. And it begins with meaningful conversations with our leaders in private education institutions to ensure that our priorities are aligned in implementing the program," Angara said.

(For now, we are focused on improving and expanding the implementation of our voucher programs in the country. And it begins with meaningful conversations with leaders in private education institutions to ensure that our priorities are aligned in implementing the program.)

The Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC), led by Angara, held its 351st meeting to discuss ways for government and private schools to work together to ensure that the Senior High School Voucher Program remains free from corruption.

DepEd also noted that new guidelines for the Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (E-GASTPE) will prioritize students from middle-income and low-income households.

Aside from voucher reforms, Angara also convened DepEd’s National Management Committee to review the current classroom observation process for teachers.

The Department said it is developing a policy under the Teacher Growth and Performance framework that aims to support teacher development while reducing unnecessary stress during classroom evaluations.

Under the proposed framework, teachers’ performance will be assessed through four components: learner evidence, professional artifacts, collaboration and professional engagement, and a single classroom observation. 

DepEd said the policy seeks to promote teachers’ professional growth, ensure fairness in evaluation, manage workload effectively, and improve learning outcomes in schools. —VAL, GMA Integrated News