To: Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau Directors
Directors of Services, Centers and Heads of Units
Regional Directors
Schools Division/City Superintendents
Heads, Public Secondary Schools
All Others Concerned

1. The K to 12 Basic Education Program is a flagship reform program of the Department of Education (DepEd) in close collaboration with various education sectors, particularly the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). One of the purposes of the K to 12 program is the need to address the issue on mismatch of competencies and the job requirements of industries and the business sector.
2. The introduction of the additional two (2) years of Senior High School (Grades 11 and 12) which is a major deliverable under the K to 12 Basic Education Program. It ultimately seeks to:
   a. prepare the students for their entry to higher education; and
   b. equip them with relevant and globally competitive skills which will foster employability and entrepreneurship or technopreneurship.
3. Prior to the implementation of the Senior High School (SHS), a research and development process will be explored by implementing a “Senior High School Modelling Program” with selected public technical-vocational (Tech-Voc) and general secondary schools as participants or “model” schools ahead of the projected nationwide implementation of the SHS in 2016-2017. The school modelling will start in June 2012 for selected model high schools (Grades 11). The enrolees will be the fourth year high school (Grade 10) completers of SY 2011-2012.
4. The “SHS Modelling” is a research and development (R&D) activity where some designs and strategies will be tried out by the identified model schools. As such, the model schools are given the flexibility to innovate and develop their own curriculum based on the needs of students and demands of the local industries; design their instructional materials; and explore and experiment varied teaching-learning strategies suited to their students and learning environment. Their inputs and processes to be tried out will be evaluated. The results of which will be adapted in the implementation of SHS Program in School Year (SY) 2016-2017.
5. The Modelling Program aims to:
   a. introduce and prepare the concerned model schools for the implementation of the Grades 11 and 12 through the provision of appropriate interventions, e.g., training of teachers, provision of support facilities and instructional materials;
   b. generate actual learning experiences of the different participating/volunteer secondary schools in order to come up with different modalities as vital inputs in the implementation of the SHS; and
   c. prepare and carry-out the communication plan to generate support from the media, civil society, academe, local government units (LGUs), and private sectors.
6. The target participants to this R&D Program are selected technical and vocational secondary schools, which are listed in Enclosure No. 1 and other secondary schools from both public and private, which opt to volunteer the modelling of SHS. The Criteria for the Selection of the Model Schools are contained in Enclosure No. 2.
7. The regional offices (ROs) through the Regional Technical Working Group (RTWG) for the K to 12 Transition Management shall provide the necessary support and guidance in order for the schools to achieve the objectives of the modelling exercises.
8. Likewise, the modelling schools shall see to it that they perform the following functions:
   a. carry out the modelling schemes;
   b. coordinate with the RTWG on the concerns and problems which may be encountered;
   c. make necessary arrangements with the neighboring industries for job and on-the-job opportunities;
   d. document the processes and take note of the critical points and issues encountered and resolved; and
   e. conduct consultation meetings with LGUs, industry representatives, and other relevant stakeholders.
9. For more information, concerned officials, teachers and partner LGUs and local industries may contact the following:For the General Secondary Schools
   Dr. Lolita M. Andrada
   Director IV, Bureau of Secondary Education (BSE)
   3rd Floor Bonifacio Building, DepEd Central Office
   DepEd Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig CityFor the Tech-Voc Secondary Schools
   Dr. Milagros C. Valles
   Director II, OIC, Technical-Vocational Education Task Force (TVTF)
   4th Floor, Mabini Building, DepEd Central Office
   DepEd Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City
   Telephone Nos.: (02) 632-0170 or (02) 633-9346
10. Immediate dissemination of and strict compliance with this Order is directed.

Encls.: As stated
Reference: None

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
POLICY
PROGRAMS
SCHOOLS
SECONDARY EDUCATION
TECHNICAL EDUCATION
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

DO_s2012_36