Signed and approved by former President Benigno Aquino III, the Republic Act (RA) No. 19533, or the “Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013“, prolonged the Philippine basic education, turning 10 to 13 years. It includes Kindergarten, Grade 11, and Grade 12 in Senior High School (SHS). Since every Filipino has the right to access quality education, eligible Grades 11 and 12 learners will receive government assistance through the Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS VP), accessible by following the guidelines under DepEd Order 32, series 2022.
Also Read: Brigada Eskwela Program: How to Participate in Your School
The Department of Education (DepEd) should manage and enact this order to ensure its proper implementation and compliance of learners and schools. It contains the implementing guidelines for applicants’ eligibility and application procedures for the SHS VP. In addition, it enclosed the schedule and redemption of the SHS VP and other conditions that may lead to the disqualification or approval of voucher applicants.
What is DepEd Order 32
On June 28, 2022, the Department of Education promulgated the DepEd Order (DO) 32, series (s.) 2022, titled the “Guidelines on Eligibility and Application for the Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS VP) for School Year 2022-2023.” This order contains details about the voucher application, including the requirements, qualifications, procedure, schedule, redemption, and other information related to the SHS VP. Also, these guidelines apply nationwide for vouchers redeemable in SY 2022-2023 and will remain effective unless repealed or amended.
Guidelines on Eligibility and Application for the Senior High School Voucher Program for School Year 2022-2023
Implementation Roles and Responsibilities
As the institutional owner of the SHS VP, DepEd has the final authority over the policy decisions and transpiring issues on its implementation. DepEd also developed essential policies, provided resources, and supervised and assessed the guidelines relevant to SHS VP objectives, ensuring its success. Furthermore, the Department has oversight power over its concerned offices and the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC), which is in agreement with DepEd to oversee the SHS VP implementation.
Meanwhile, schools must provide parents and learners with SHS VP information, assistance, and guidance on the application process. Schools should also process the documents learners requested and educate them about guidance programs, perform SHS VP orientation, and provide essential resources to expedite voucher applications.
Also Read: DepEd Homeroom Guidance Program
Eligibility
Learners are eligible for SHS VP given they have completed Junior High School (JHS) in DepEd-operated public schools and public or private educational institutions not directly managed by the Department but obtained a permit or government recognition to continue its operation.
Learners are also eligible for SHS VP if they have 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 the Philippine Education Placement Test (PEPT).
These learners should be called Grade 10 completers, subdivided into the following:
1. Automatically Qualified Learners
Automatically Qualified learners refer to Grade 10 completers who fall under the categories below. They’re automatically qualified voucher recipients (QVRs), so they no longer have to apply for vouchers.
- Category A: All SY 2021-2022 Grade 10 completers in Public Schools
- Category B: All SY 2021-2022 Grade 10 completers in Private Schools who are grantees of the Education Service Contracting (ESC)
2. Voucher Applicants
These learners are required to apply for vouchers. They’re considered voucher applicants (VAs), and their acceptance depends on the set parameters of funds availability.
- Category C: All SY 2021-2022 Grade 10 completers in private Schools who don’t receive ESC.
- Category D: All Grade 10 completers who finished Grade 10 before SY 2021-2022 but not earlier than 2016 and not previously enrolled for Grade 11.
- Category E: Learners who passed the ALS A&E Test for Grade 10, not earlier than 2016. Additionally, the learner did not previously enroll in Grade 11. ALS learners who have also passed or will take the Portfolio Assessment in SY 2022-2023 are considered voucher applicants.
- Category F: Learners who passed the PEPT for Grade 10 not earlier than 2016 and did not enroll previously for Grade 11. This category also covers learners who will take the PEPT for Grade 10 in SY 2022-2023.
On the contrary, the learners who fall into the following categories are not qualified for SHS VP:
- Learners who graduated High School in 2015 or earlier
- Incoming Grade 12 learners who were not part of SHS VP in Grade 11
- Non-Filipino learners
Table 1. Eligibility Guide
Voucher Application Procedures
Learners can only apply for the voucher online for free since DepEd doesn’t accept manual applications. Keep in mind that VAs are discouraged from submitting multiple applications. Nonetheless, DepEd will not accept submissions of applications. All applications are processed via PEAC NS through the Online Voucher Application Portal (OVAP) at http://ovap.peac.org.ph. Check the table below for the voucher online application procedure.
Table 2. Voucher Application Procedure
Tracking the Application, Follow-ups, and Inquiries
The VA is responsible for ensuring their voucher application is correct, complete, attested, and received on or before the deadline. Moreover, VAs should track the status of their application via their OVAP account. VAs may also inquire about the voucher application process via the PEAC National Secretariat email at shsvp.application@peac.org.ph.
Qualification or Disqualification
As listed in the eligibility requirements, Grade 10 completers who fall under Categories A and B are considered QVRs. Hence, they don’t need to apply for the voucher since PEAC and DepEd will not process it. PEAC NS will process all VA application forms on or before August 12, 2022, and send the results to DepEd for approval.
The following applications are grounds for disqualification:
Applications submitted after the deadline
Applications with incomplete VAF-1
Applications by the following learners who are not eligible for the SHS VP:
- Learners who graduated High School in 2015 or earlier
- Incoming Grade 12 learners who were not part of SHS VP in Grade 11
- Non-Filipino learners
Results of Application
VAs will not receive notifications about the results. But they can access and check the results of their application posted on OVAP. Results are available on the PEAC NS and DepEd websites and other media. If the VA falls under Categories E and F, becoming a QVA is subject to their PEPT, Presentation Portfolio Assessment, or ALS A&E results.
However, VAs who failed to pass the tests/assessments for SY 2022-2023 will not be eligible to redeem a voucher and will not qualify as a Voucher Program Beneficiary (VPB) regardless of successful SHS VP applications.
Grounds for disqualification/exclusion of QVA and revocation of voucher:
- False information in the application or supporting documents
- Failure of the submitted supporting documents to support declared information in the VAF-1
- Failure to submit proof of eligibility to enroll for Grade 11 as ALS Qualifier
- Failure to submit proof of eligibility to enroll for Grade 11 as a PEPT Qualifier
Voucher Validity and Redemption
For QVRs, vouchers are redeemable by enrolling for Grade 11 at a VP-participating SHS in any DepEd-approved learning delivery options. Like other learners, the QVR must comply with admission requirements imposed by the VP-participating SHS. Once the QVR is successfully enrolled, the learner is considered a voucher program beneficiary (VPB).
During enrollment, QVRs should present the documents in Table 4 to their chosen VP-participating SHS to prove their eligibility. Visit this link bit.ly/39lqx8L to check the list of SHS VP-participating schools and the requirements for online application via OVAP.
Table 4. Documentary Evidence of Eligibility
The voucher is redeemable from August 22, 2022, to November 4, 2022. However, the voucher will no longer be valid if the beneficiary fails to redeem it within the prescribed period. Also, note that the voucher only covers two school years, Grades 11 and 12, regardless of the number of school years the recipient will take to finish SHS.
Applicable Voucher Values
The applicable amount of each voucher is decided based on the category the QVR falls under. In addition, the vouchers amount depends on the location, type, and fees of the VP-participating SHS where the QVR chooses to enroll. The table below shows the maximum voucher amounts:
Table 5. Maximum Applicable Voucher Amount
The vouchers amount refers to the maximum payment a VP-participating SHS should receive as payment for the VPB per school year. Participating educational institutions will receive voucher payments depending on the total school fees they charge or the maximum voucher amount applicable, whichever is lower.
Schedule of Implementation
VAs should also remember the dates below since it’s relevant to SHS VP implementation:
- June 29, 2022 – Start of the voucher application period, which includes VA OVAP Account Creation & Application Submission
- July 22, 2022 – Deadline for the creation of accounts on OVAP
- July 29, 2022 – Deadline for submission of applications on OVAP
- August 12, 2022 – PEAC NS will forward all processed application forms to DepEd for approval
- August 22, 2022 – Posting of application results in the QVA Account Panel and the start of voucher redemption
Monitoring and Evaluation
DepEd and PEAC will perform random checks on schools and learners to guarantee compliance with the voucher program. The Regional Program Committees (RPComs), which consist of DepEd Schools Division Offices, Regional Offices, and PEAC Regional Secretariats, will provide feedback, including queries and complaints regarding the implementation of these guidelines to the DepEd Central Office via the GAS Program Management Office (GAS-PMO) and the PEAC NS.
Apart from that, PEAC should supervise the voucher application by regularly checking the process to ensure standards, data integrity, and turnaround times. PEAC should also prepare and submit interim reports to DepEd to enhance the SHS VP’s future implementations. For inquiries and concerns, voucher applicants may send their feedback via the Public Assistance Action Center and its field counterparts.
DepEd Order 32 Full Memo Download
To access and download the complete PDF of DepEd Order No. 32, series of 2022, a direct link is available on this page. By clicking the download button below, you can easily obtain a copy of DepEd Order 32 in PDF format.
Full PDF DepEd 32 memo file: https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/DO_s2022_032.pdf
Summary
To sum up, incoming Senior High School (SHS) learners should follow the guidelines enclosed in DepEd Order 32, series 2022, to ensure their eligibility for the voucher program. These guidelines also include details regarding the SHS VP requirements, schedule, application, and redemption process. Furthermore, this order details the ineligible applicants and other grounds for disqualification for voucher redemption. Hence, learners who wish to apply and redeem their voucher from August 22, 2022, to November 4, 2022, should refer to these guidelines.