DepEd reopens applications for SHS voucher program

Photo from AFP/Inquirer files

MANILA, Philippines — Graduating junior high-school students from private schools not covered by the Department of Education’s (DepEd) financial grant may now apply for subsidy vouchers for their senior high school (SHS) enrollment next school year.

Based on DepEd’s Memorandum No. 24 issued on May 9, the application for the SHS voucher program for incoming Grade 11 students in the school year 2024 to 2025 was opened on May 16.

The value of each voucher ranges from P14,000 to P22,500, depending on the student’s location.

READ: Billions of pesos spent for SHS vouchers ‘wasted’ – Gatchalian

Eligible to apply are Grade 10 completers from private schools in the preceding school year who are not grantees of DepEd’s Education Service Contracting (ESC) program.

Students who finished Grade 10 in earlier years may also seek subsidies through the vouchers, provided they did not graduate earlier than 2016 and had never enrolled for Grade 11.

The voucher program also covers learners who passed the Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT) for Grade 10 in years not earlier than 2016, and those who have yet to take PEPT in the upcoming school year.

READ: DepEd, CHEd extend voucher program for SHS students

Those under DepEd’s flexible learning program mainly for out-of-school youth and adults called the Alternative Learning System (ALS) are also eligible. They, however, should have passed the ALS accreditation and equivalency assessment, or the portfolio assessment, for Grade 10.

Automatically qualified

Those automatically qualified who need not apply for the voucher are all Grade 10 graduates from public schools, and those from private schools but are under the ESC program.

Applicants must create an account using a working email address on the Online Voucher Application Portal (https://ovap.peac.org.ph) to get details on the application process.

DepEd will take in applications until June 4. Under the revised school calendar, classes for the next school year will begin on July 29.

The education agency rolled out the voucher grant in 2015 in a bid to expand access to SHS education among students from low-income families.

The program also seeks to minimize overcrowding in public schools as grantees may enroll in private institutions using the vouchers.