IMPLEMENTATION OF OPEN HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM AT DOÑA FRANCISCA LACSAMANA DE ORTEGA MEMORIAL NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Authors: BALBIN CATHERINE C. 
Published: December 2024

The study examined the implementation and challenges of the Open High School Program (OHSP) at Doña Francisca Lacsamana de Ortega Memorial National High School (DFLOMNHS). The OHSP serves as an alternative mode of secondary education, designed to accommodate learners who cannot attend traditional schools due to personal, economic, or geographical constraints. This descriptive research investigated the relationship between learner profiles, academic performance, and the level of program implementation. The study involved 48 learners and 16 teachers, utilizing surveys to assess various factors, including the program’s effectiveness and the challenges faced by teacher-implementers.
The results revealed that the majority of learners are female, aged 16-20, and come from low-income families with parents who generally have low educational attainment. The academic performance of these learners varies, with a significant portion not meeting expectations. The level of program implementation, as perceived by both learners and teachers, is generally positive, but challenges remain, particularly in addressing the diverse needs of learners and improving academic outcomes. The study underscores the importance of continued support and evaluation to enhance the effectiveness of OHSP in achieving its goals of reducing dropout rates and providing quality education to underserved communities.
The following conclusions were drawn based on the findings. Open High School learners and teachers possessed varied characteristics as to gender, age, highest educational attainment of parents, occupation of the parents, family monthly income, academic performance, and years in service. Open High School is generally-well implemented by both teachers and the learners. There is no significant difference in the level of implementation of Open High School as perceived by the learners and the teachers. There is no significant relationship between the profile characteristics of the learners and various dimensions of the implementation of the Open High School program. Similarly, the profile of the teacher-respondents also showed no significant relationship with the implementation of the Open High School program across the same dimensions. The respondents face significant challenges in the implementation of the Open High School program, which can be categorized into three primary clusters: role challenges, general challenges, and instructional challenges.
Based on the findings and conclusions drawn, the following are highly recommended. Schools should implement programs that equip parents with skills to support their children academically, particularly for those with lower educational attainment and low family monthly income. Regular workshops on seminars on modern teaching methods, time management, and academic support could be beneficial. Professional development programs should be intensified to equip teachers with innovative teaching methods, such as integrating technology and differentiated instruction. This will address the gap in teaching methods and promote more engaging and effective learning experiences. Efforts should be made to maintain or enhance open communication and collaboration between learners and teachers. Continuous monitoring and evaluation of the Open High School Program’s effectiveness should be carried out to ensure its goals are being met. Comprehensive evaluation of the Open High School program to identify other factors that might influence its implementation effectiveness such as program resources, training quality, and support system should be conducted. Similar studies should be conducted to further determine the effectiveness of the Open High School program.