[“Your choice must be in line with your competency and ideal career in the future,” shares Dr Joey Jegonia, director of XU’s Office of Promotions, Testing and Admissions (OPTA) during an orientation on Senior High School program attended by Grade 10 students and parents of Cagayan de Oro National High School (CDONHS), Tuesday, September 22 at the XU Gymnasium.]
As the implementation of the Department of Education's (DepEd) Senior High School program draws near, public discussions play an imperative role in ensuring the program’s success.
It is with this pursuit that Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan, the oldest university in Mindanao, took the opportunity to introduce the school’s Senior High School program during an orientation organized by the Cagayan de Oro National High School (CDONHS) for their Grade 10 students and their parents on September 22 at the XU Gymnasium.
The orientation aimed to clarify the program structure of Senior HS, and to guide the students and their parents in choosing the right track and strand to take in Senior High.
Along with the XU Senior High Team, CDONHS also invited speakers from DepEd, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to explain the relevance of Senior HS, especially when it comes to finding better employment opportunities regardless of whether students choose to pursue higher studies, decide to work or start a business right after graduating from Senior High.
“Students must choose their track and strand under the Senior High School program based on their career assessment results,” shared Dr Joey Jegonia, director of XU’s Office of Promotions, Testing and Admissions (OPTA). “Your choice must be in line with your competency and ideal career in the future.”
XU is ready for carrying out the Senior High School program for academic year 2016-2017. It is currently administering the XU Career Exam for Senior High School applicants every Saturday of September.
One of the most discussed topics during the open forum is the Tuition Voucher Program of DepEd to offset the cost of tuition in private educational institutions.
Through the Voucher Program, students and their families will be able to exercise greater choice in deciding the Senior HS program that is most relevant to their needs and career goals.
XU welcomes DepEd tuition vouchers in addition to offering more than 200 scholarships to students entering Senior High School.
The Senior HS program comprises the additional two years to the current 10 years of basic education, in line with the DepEd’s Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 (Republic Act No.10533), which aims to strengthen the basic education system in the Philippines.
Students can choose their career tracks in academic, technical-vocational-livelihood, sports, and arts and design. These tracks will help prepare graduates for higher education, entrepreneurship, further middle-level skills development and employment.
XU offers complete Academic and Technical-Vocational-Livelihood tracks. XU has been preparing for this transition since 2014 and through its Center for Integrated Technologies has formed partnerships with international and local companies to employ its tech-voc graduates.
This public forum formed part of the discussion series of XU in collaboration with government agencies, schools, parents’ associations and student organizations toward forming globally competitive graduates who will meet the standards and fulfill the demands of the ASEAN Economic Integration.