The program helps students who do not wish to pursue their college education after completing high school, he added.
“Not all students want to go to college. They want to go to the workforce but they need to know the basic requirements of the workforce,” Ada said.
KagHS is offering five elective courses under the career technical education, or CTE, program: electronics, business accounting, fine arts, tourism, and college preparatory course.
He said CTE is open to ninth to 12th grade students.
By 2010, Ada said, they may offer new elective courses like culinary arts, military science, auto mechanics and other areas of expertise that address the demands of the local economy.
Ada said he would like to see two kinds of diplomas in the future — one for CTE and academics and the other for higher post-secondary.
The school is now working on a framework for CTE and academics, which, if completed, will allow KagHS to be the pilot area in 2010, he said.
Funding, however, may be a problem but the school may avail of assistance from the American Recovery Reinvestment Act, or the federal stimulus law, Ada said.
This new program may involve an on-the-job training scheme for the students, he said.
At present, Ada said the basic electronics course continues to attract a lot of students.
The school is planning to introduce an advanced electronic course depending on the demand in the next school year, he added.
Twenty-nine students enrolled in the electronics course in 2008-2008.
