Palo, Leyte, Eastern Visayas – “We are K to 12 ready, we are Senior High School ready”. This is Director Luisa Bautista-Yu’s assertion whenever asked if Eastern Visayas is ready for the full implementation of the Senior High School come SY 2016-2017.

Notwithstanding the challenges that DepEd is fronting, Dir. Yu is optimistic that the Senior High School will be successfully implemented in the region considering the strengthened advocacy done by the institution to ensure that the stakeholders are well-informed of its benefits and how it will prepare the learners for global competitiveness.

Series of activities have been conducted in preparation for the SHS implementation to put things in order before its full implementation. To prepare for the SHS Early Registration, DepEd Region VIII shall have a Pre-Work Activity for SHS Implementation on September 11, 2015 to give updates on the Senior High School Program and to prepare for the activities related to SHS Early Registration Day and the needed data for the Senior High School Implementation Updating with the National Technical Assistants on September 21, 2015. The thirteen (13) schools divisions represented by the Schools Division Superintendents and Division Senior High School Coordinators shall convene with the Regional Director and regional focal persons for the pre-work activity.

To prepare Grade 10 students/SHS entrants in making choices regarding SHS tracks, the schools shall commence Career Guidance Program on September 14, 2015 following the timeline specified in the guidelines. Press conferences with the local media and Philippine Information Agency (PIA) shall be conducted to intensify the region’s advocacy on the SHS Program. The Public Affairs Unit has lined up activities for the month of September and October to focus on strengthening region’s awareness campaign of the program and ensure active participation of the stakeholders during the SHS Early Registration which is set on October 19-23, 2015.

“We really need to strengthen our advocacy on Senior High School Program”. No matter how big the challenge is, as long as we work together, we can prepare our learners for the challenge of globalization by teaching them the 21st century skills”, Dir. Yu articulated.

END