Re-examining the Responsiveness of Secondary Level Alternative Delivery Modes

Marginalization and educational exclusion remain a reality among many children and youth in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries. Moving towards inclusive education through the institutionalization of Alternative Delivery Modalities (ADM) like the Open High School Program (OHSP) manifests the strong resolve of the Philippine Department of Education (DepEd) to respond to the diverse needs and realities of all learners in various parts of the country. As ADMs become an accepted fixture in the educational landscape and a means to engage learners from marginalized groups and those who face challenges in educational access, their responsiveness needs to be assessed to ensure their alignment with the realities within the varied contexts of learners.

Through this descriptive case study, SEAMEO INNOTECH seeks to document the nature of the Philippine OHSP secondary schools’ program implementation within these specific dimensions of marginalization: children in conflict situations, child laborers in rural areas, and children in urban poverty. The three case studies showcase the strengths of current OHSP implementation in meeting the educational needs of children from marginalized contexts.

The studies also highlight the issues and concerns that need to be addressed to improve the fl exibility of the program for it to continuously serve as a social justice tool for disadvantaged learners. The studies also identify some possible areas for improvement and specifi c strategies and practices that can help in implementing the modality within the context of the school and the learners’ circumstances.

As a SEAMEO Regional Center committed to support the realization of inclusive quality education for all, we hope this research publication promotes a better understanding of ways to address barriers to inclusion and the alternative modalities of delivering basic education. Our ultimate objective is to support our vision of “a better future for every learner in Southeast Asia”.