With her strong commitment to provide technical assistance on issues regarding the senior high school implementation, DepEd Calamba City Schools Division Superintendent Eugenia R. Gorgon called for a meeting last January 23, 2017 at the Gabaldon Hall, Jose Rizal Memorial School.

Speaking in front of school administrators and school heads from 35 private and 11 public SHS implementers, Gorgon called for everyone to synchronize their efforts in addressing issues on the enrollment of students in the Learning Information System, voucher management system (VMS), partnership, and tracking of students who are no longer in school.

“This is very crucial. Help us to track these out-of-school youth and help reconnect through ALS to bring them back in basic education,” the Schools Division Superintendent said, also adding that mapping and tracking of students should be done.

Records showed a disparity in the enrollment during first semester and second semester. Based on the LIS, there was a total of 9, 789 SHS students enrolled in both public and private schools during the first semester, 78.30% of these came from private schools. Data also showed that about 762 students are missing in private schools while 206 in the public schools.

Gorgon also raised the issue on Immersion Program and what the school has gone through with regards to partnership. Meanwhile, Planning Officer III Ligaya G. Martir discussed the issues on multiple LRNs which consequently affect the VMS tagging and the billing of accounts. She assured the audience that the central office is working on these and is hoping that the problems will be solved before the end of the month.

Furthermore, the Regional Coordinator of Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) Dr. Lerma Calingasan reminded the SHS implementers to be more understanding and open-minded on the issues concerning the Voucher Management System (VMS)

“PEAC is doing all its efforts to address the issues concerning VMS,” assured Dr. Calingasan, further adding that the benefits of VMS will stay as enshrined in RA 10533 and the situation is stable.
The SHS implementers were delighted with the initiative DepEd Calamba has taken to create a platform where they can discuss and know pertinent matters, issues, and solutions related to SHS.

“We shall help DepEd Calamba City address the issues raised especially on tracking of students, immersion program through partnership, and making sure that we are in constant coordination [in updating] our system,” said Dr. Juanita Corre, Principal of Saint Benilde International and one of the officers of Calamba City Private Schools Administrators. (Randy D. Punzalan, SEPS-P&R/DIO)