SERIES 3 : THE TRACKS AND STRAND, WHAT IS IT?

The curriculum of the Senior High School having designed to cater the three options (as I mentioned on Series 2 ) the graduates can choose from after graduation is made possible through the TRACK AND STRAND curriculum design approach. The TRACKS are the following as showed in the picture below.

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The options of what to take up for SHS is first divided into four (4) TRACKS. These tracks are like the connecting path of the students of what to decide after SHS graduation. Before completing their Junior High School the students will take the National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE). The result of the examination will serve as the guiding light for the students to know what career fits their personality. Thus, for them to take track that specific for such career. Though there are some who will decide otherwise and follow their parents decision for them or what they think they like to take. To add-on the learner who knows the type of learner they are will be able to decide easily which track to take. The table below gives the student another look into what track fits of what type of learner they are.

Track	Curriculum	Specific Learners
ACADEMIC	Knowledge Based	The Thinkers
TECHVOC	Skills Based	The Doers
ARTS AND DESIGN	Talent Based	The Performers and Creative Directors
SPORTS	Skills Based	The Athletes

If you would notice from the table there are tracks in every type of learner. Those teachers who knows that it is very important for a learner to know what type of learner they are at some point had done already an assessment during the students’ Junior High School. So with the result of NCAE and the type of learner the student is the easier it is for them to choose. After finalizing their TRACK they can now choose which strand to decide that if the track they choose is with strands.

Two (2) of these tracks have different strand to choose from. The strand this time is more specific of the possible course in college they will take. Take a look at which track and what strands belong to it on the table below.

TRACK	STRAND	Stands for
ACADEMIC	STEM	Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathermatics
-----------	ABM	Accountancy, Business, Management
-----------	HUMSS	Humanities and Social Sciences
-----------	GAS	General Academic Strand
TECHVOC	ICT	Information and Communication Technology
-----------	IA	Industrial Arts
-----------	Maritime

Furthermore the picture below shows which college course you can take in every strand. Making it more specific so the student will be placed on the right path in their college.

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So the decision making should be final before entering Senior High School. It had been our experience during enrolment period where the student is still undecided which to enroll and we have to explain to them each track and strand. Debating it with their parent and then eventually decisions, worst, bad ones are made and lead to unproductive result over the school year.

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Why do I keep on reiterating of the importance of students choosing correctly their track and strand? It’s been my experience with my students that those who did NOT choose the correct track and strand for them end up wasting a year or the entire two (2) years of their Senior High School. Resulting to being left behind of their batch and worst losing the voucher (I will discuss about this on the next series) they are benefitting from the Philippine government. Why does this happen? As I mentioned above, there are students who did not personally choose the track and strand they enrolled resulting to no interest and absences in their classes. There are also some that enrolled in which they thought fits them but actually is not. A lot of factors had been sprouting over the first two(2) of the implementation.

As we enter into our third year this school year 2018 - 2019, our hopes are up that we will have less dropped out students and that all are already in place with the correct track and strand. That they will be enjoying the voucher program of the government until they finish Senior High School.