Detailed Guidelines on the Application for the Senior High School Voucher Program

October 28, 2016

DepEd Order No. 66, s. 2016

DETAILED GUIDELINES ON THE APPLICATIONS FOR THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL VOUCHER PROGRAM

To:

Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau and Service Directors
Regional Secretary, ARMM
Regional Directors
Schools Division Superintendents
Public and Private Secondary Schools Heads All Others Concerned

1. The Department of Education (DepEd) issues the enclosed Detailed Guidelines on the Applications for the Senior High School (SHS) Voucher Program (VP) to provide clear and detailed guidelines on the implementing processes related to the applications, such as:

a. Eligibility;

b. Voucher Application Procedures;

c. Tracking the Application, Follow-Ups and Inquiries;

d. Qualification or Disqualification;

e. Notification of Results;

f. Applicable Voucher Values;

g. Schedule of Implementation;

h. Voucher Validity and Redemption; and

i. Monitoring and Evaluation.

2. These guidelines shall be effective for vouchers which will be redeemed in School Year 2017-2018 and shall remain in effect unless amended or repealed.

3. Immediate dissemination of and strict compliance with this Order is directed.

LEONOR MAGTOLIS BRIONES
Secretary

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(Enclosure to DepEd Order No. 66, s. 2016)

Detailed Guidelines on the Applications for the Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS VP)

I. Rationale and legal bases

Republic Act No. 10533 (RA 10533), otherwise known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, lengthens Philippine basic education from 10 to 13 years with the addition of Kindergarten and Grades 11 and 12 in Senior High School (SHS). Grade 11 was introduced in School Year (SY) 2016-17 and Grade 12 will be introduced in SY 2017-18.

RA 10533 explicitly expands Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (Republic Act 8545) to include Grades 11 and 12. It further mandates the Department of Education (DepEd) to formulate programs to enact the abovementioned provision based on the principles of public-private partnership. In this regard, DepEd Order No. 11 series of 2015(DO 11 s.2015) introduced the Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS VP) as a mechanism to provide financial support to qualified students in SHS.

RA 10533 supports Article XIV Section 1 of the Philippine Constitution of 1987 which guarantees the right of every Filipino to accessible and quality basic education. Moreover, Section 2.3 of Article XlVmandates the State to establish a system of, among others, subsidies and incentives to deserving individuals in both public and private schools.

The general intent of this Department Order is to provide clear and detailed guidelines in implementing processes related to the application for vouchers.

II. Scope of the guidelines

These implementing guidelines shall have national applicability and shall detail the processes and flow of activities in voucher applications from prequalification to redemption.

III. Policy principles

Per DO 11, s. 2015, the SHS VP intends to:

a) Uphold the right to quality basic education and increase access in SHS;

b) Increase the diversity of SHS providers beyond the current configuration. This in turn will engender a more dynamic system with schools deciding and innovating on their own;

c) Provide greater choice to students and their families in deciding the SHS program that caters to their needs and career goals;

d) Relieve DepEd from the institutional pressures of providing SHS directly through DepEd schools within a very short period of time;

e) Ease the financial impact on higher educational institutions that will experience reduced enrollment in the first few years of SHS implementation.

The first three objectives ultimately lead to the very purpose of K to 12 reform: quality, accessible, and relevant education. As such, the SHS VP is meant to be a long-term program of DepEd.

IV. Definition of terms

Non-DepEd Senior High School (Non-DepEd SHS) – Providers of SHS not directly operated by the DepEd. These include private high schools, private colleges and universities; local universities and colleges (LUCs); state universities and colleges (SUCs); and technical and vocational institutions (TVIs).

Voucher – A subsidy given by the State to qualified Grade lOcompleters to enable them to enroll in a non-DepEd SHS of their choice. The assistance is meant to defray the cost of total school fees charged by a non-DepEd SHS. The entitlement is not given to the student as cash; DepEd instead pays directly to the non-DepEd SHS where the student enrolls.

Grade 10 Completers – Students currently in Grade 10 and expected to complete Junior High School (JHS) at the end of the school year

Voucher Applicants (VAs) – Students who apply to qualify for vouchers. Students who are already prequalified need not apply.

Qualified Voucher Recipients (QVRs) – Grade 10 completers who are prequalified or VAs who successfully qualify for the voucher subsidy

Voucher Program Beneficiaries (VPBs) – QVRs whosuccessfully enroll in a non-DepEd SHS and thus benefit from the voucher subsidy

V. Delineation of roles

DepEd is the institutional owner and final authority of the SHS VP. It implements SHS VP to support RA 10533 or the K to 12 reform agenda of the government. It shall oversee and formulate policies and programs, provide the needed resources, and monitor and evaluate indicators related to the SHS VP to ensure its successful implementation.

The Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) has been contracted by the DepEd to manage the SHS VP. PEAC is the trustee of the Fund for Assistance to Private Education, a perpetual trust fund created to provide assistance to private education in the country. PEAC shall coordinate with DepEdand other stakeholders to ensure that applications are processed and results are promptly released.

Students are responsible for their choice of Senior High School and their own voucher applications. They shall ensure that forms are correctly filled, documents are complete, and applications are received by PEAC on or before the deadline.

Schools may provide assistance and guidanceto uphold student choice in the SHS VP. They must provide career guidance programs and process documents requested by the students. They may also conduct orientations on the SHS VP and provide resources to facilitate voucher applications. In contrast, schools should not impose their preferences on students or otherwise engage in practices that undermine student choice.

VI. Eligibility and application procedures

A. Eligibility

All and only Grade 10 students in the current school yearare eligible for the SHS VP. For brevity, these students are termed as Grade 10 completers. Grade 10 completers are subdivided into automatically qualified students and voucher applicants.

1. Automatically qualified students

Students falling under the categories below automatically qualify for vouchers and are considered qualified voucher recipients (QVRs). They do not need to apply for vouchers.

• Category A: All Grade 10 completers in Public JHS
• Category B: All Grade 10 completers in SUCs and LUCs
• Category C: All Grade 10 completers in private schools who are Educational Service Contracting (ESC) grantees

2. Voucher applicants (VAs)

Category D: All Grade 10 completers in private schools who are not ESC grantees and wish to avail of voucher subsidy in order to enroll in a non-DepEd SHS. Only students in this category need to apply for vouchers and are thus termed voucher applicants (VAs).

B. Voucher application procedures

Applications may be done manually or online and are free of charge.

VAs are urged to apply online as this mode carries a number of features that manual applications do not enjoy. Online applications allow VAs to have a longer period to apply, submit the required documents in parts, and track their applications. Online applications are also monitored real-time so VAs are soon informed of deficiencies.

Online applications (Deadline: 2nd Friday of February of the current school year)

1. Access the Online Voucher Application Portal (OVAP) at http://ovap.deped.gov.ph. Follow the instructions to create an OVAP account. Wait for the confirmation email to be sent to the VA’s email address.

2. Upon receipt of the confirmation email, click on the link provided to access the OVAP as a registered user.

3. Complete the electronic Voucher Application Form (VAF-1)

4. Scan or take a picture and upload the following:

a. Recent 2X2 colored ID photo

b. Proof of financial means of the parents, guardian, or the person who is helping send the student to school as shown in the table below:

Table 1. Required document as proof of financial means

If the concerned person is:	Required document	Where to obtain document if not readily available
Employed in the Philippines (including self-employed)	Latest Annual Income Tax Return; OR	Bureau of Internal Revenue or Employer
Employed abroad	Certificate of employment*	Employer
	Certificate of employment*	Employer or recruitment agency
Unemployed and without income	Certificate of Non-filing of Income Tax Return; OR	Bureau of Internal Revenue
	Municipal Certificate of Unemployment; OR	Mayor's office (NOT from the Barangay or the City Assessor's office)
	Affidavit stating unemployment	Notary Public
Unemployed but with other source/s of income	Affidavit specifying sources of income and average gross monthly income	Notary Public

*The certificate of employment should state the person’s occupation and gross monthly income. For employees, gross monthly income refers to the gross monthly wages or salaries before taxes and other deductions. It includes basic pay, overtime pay, commissions, tips, allowances and one-twelfth of annual bonuses. For all others, it refers to the average monthly earnings from their business, trade, profession, investments and/or pensions.

c. Certification of financial assistance received (issued by the school), if applicable

5. Submit the application when the VAF-1 and the required documents are complete. OVAP automatically confirms receipt of application.

Manual applications (Deadline: 2nd Friday of January of the current school year)

1. Obtain and fill out the Voucher Application Form (VAF-1). VAF-1 forms are available at DepEd Division Offices, JHSs and non-DepEd SHS. It is also attached as Annex A to this issuance and may be reproduced.

2. Enclose the following documents in a long brown envelope:

a. Completed VAF-1

b. Recent 2X2 colored ID photo

c. Proof of financial means of the parents, guardian, or the person who is helping send thestudent to school (as shown in Table 1 above):

d. Certification of financial assistance received (issued by the school), if applicable

3. Mail or submit the application packageto:

SHS Voucher Program Applications
PEAC National Secretariat
5th Floor Salamin Building
197 Salcedo Street
Makati City 1229

It is the responsibility of the VA to ensure that his or her application is complete and correct, and that it arrives on or before the deadline. In particular, the application must indicate a mobile number and/or email addressso PEAC can correspond with the VA. Courier services that allow VAs to track their submissions are also highly recommended.

VII. Tracking the application, follow-ups, and inquiries

VAs who applied online cantrack the status of their applications by accessing their accounts in OVAP.

For VAs who submitted manual applications, PEAC shall confirm receipt and advise of any deficiencies through email, landline, mobile or regular mail as may be expeditious. VAs may further inquire or follow-up through the PEAC hotline (02-840-6000) or the PEAC Email HelpDesk (shs.vms@fape.orq.ph).

VIII. Qualification or disqualification

PEAC shall process all submitted applications and forward the results to DepEd for approval. All automatically qualified students and VAs who meet the qualification criteriaare considered qualified voucher recipients (QVRs). They shall be tagged as QVRs in the DepEd LIS.

VAs who do not qualify will not receive voucher subsidy. Applications with false information or are incomplete after the deadline are grounds for disqualification.

IX. Notification of results

Results will first be released at the end of February of the current school year at the OVAP website and these may be accessed by students, parents, and schools. Links to the results will also be made available at the PEAC and DepEd websites. Subsequently and on a staggered basis, applicants with emails will be advised of their results through their email addresses. Applicants without emails will be advised of their results either by text or regular mail.

Results of the voucher applications are deemed final and not subject to appeal.

X. Applicable voucher values

The applicable voucher amount depends largely on the location, type, and fees of the non-DepEd SHS where the QVR wishes to enroll.The category of the QVR also affects the voucher amount. The maximum voucher amounts are shown in the table below:

Table 2, Maximum applicable voucher amount (in PHP per student per school year)

Location of non-DepEd SHS	Category of QVR	Voucher Amount	Voucher amount if the SHS is a SUC or LUC
National Capital Region (NCR)	Categories A and B	22,500	11,250
	Categories C and D	18,000
Highly urbanized cities (HUCs) outside of NCR	Categories A and B	20,000	10,000
	Categories C and D	16,000
All other locations	Categories A and B	17,500	8,750
	Categories C and D	14,000

Voucher amounts represent the maximum payment a Non-DepEd SHS Provider shall be paid per VPB per School Year. Schools receive voucher payments based on the total school fees they charge or the maximum voucher amount applicable, whichever is lower.

XI. Schedule of implementation

VAs are advised to be mindful of significant dates in the SHS VP as shown in the schedule below:

Table 3. Schedule of implementation of voucher applications for the school year (SY)

Schedule	Process
October of the current SY	Start of voucher application period
	Start of follow up on application and/or application status
2nd Friday of January of the current SY	Deadline for receipt of manual applications
2nd Friday of Februray of the current SY	Deadline for receipt of online applications
End of February of the current SY	Release of results of the voucher application
	Start of redemption of vouchers
2nd Friday of August of the following SY	Deadline for redemption of vouchers

XII. Voucher validity and redemption

Vouchers shall be redeemed in the first semester of the school year immediately after Grade 10 completionand shall no longer be valid if not redeemed inthe said period. The voucher covers two years regardless of the number of years it takes for the recipient to complete SHS.

A QVR redeems his or her voucher by enrolling in a non-DepEd SHS. As with any student, QVRs need to satisfy the requirements for admission set by the Non-DepEd SHS. A QVR who successfully enrolls in a Non-DepEd SHS becomes a voucher program beneficiary (VPB).

XIII. Monitoring and evaluation

DepEd and PEAC shall conduct random checks on schools and students to ensure program compliance. Serious violations may disqualify a school or a student from further participation in the SHS VP.

PEAC shall monitor processes in the voucher applications so as to meet standards on turnaround times and data integrity. It shall prepare and submit interim reports as may be required by DepEd to improve future implementations of the SHS VP.

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Senior High School Voucher Program

VOUCHER APPLICATION FORM (MANUAL)

Instructions:

1. Fill up the application form. Write in block, capital letters.

2. Enclose the filled up application form and the following documents in a long brown envelope:

a. Recent 2×2 colored ID picture attached to the application form

b. Proof of financial capacity of the parents, guardian, or any other person who is helping send the student to school (if applicable):

If the concerned person is:	Required document	Where to obtain document if not readily available
Employed in the Philippines (including self-employed)	Latest Annual Income Tax Return; OR	Bureau of Internal Revenue or Employer
Employed abroad	Certificate of employment*	Employer
	Certificate of employment*	Employer or recruitment agency
Unemployed and without income	Certificate of Non-filing of Income Tax Return; OR	Bureau of Internal Revenue
	Municipal Certificate of Unemployment; OR	Mayor's office (NOT from the Barangay or the City Assessor's office)
	Affidavit stating unemployment	Notary Public
Unemployed but with other source/s of income	Affidavit specifying sources of income and average gross monthly income	Notary Public

*The certificate of employment should state the person’s occupation and gross monthly income. For employees, gross monthly income refers to the gross monthly wages or salaries before taxes and other deductions. It includes basic pay, overtime pay, commissions, tips, allowances and one-twelfth of annual bonuses. For all others, it refers to the average monthly earnings from their business, trade, profession, investments and/or pensions.

c. Certification of Financial Assistance received from the school, if applicable

3. Courier or mail the envelope to:

SHS Voucher Program Application
PEAC National Secretariat
197 Salcedo Street
5th Floor Salamin Building
Makati City 1229
Tel: 02-8406000

REMINDERS:

1. Please ensure that: a) the application and supporting documents are complete and b) the application is received by the PEAC National Secretariat on or before the deadline. Late and/or incomplete applications will not be processed.

2. Do not submit multiple applications. If you have applied online, there is no need to fill up this form or vice versa. Multiple submissions significantly delay the processing of your application and its results.

READ:

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