HISTORY OF KALAYAAN NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

   Kalayaan National High School is located between the boundaries of Pasay City and Parañaque City. The school is surrounded by residential houses occupied by informal settlers and automotive machine shops. There are housing units in the nearby areas occupied by teachers and policemen.  Other vacant areas served as parking area for cargo trucks owned by private companies.

         To address the growing populace of the youth and to respond to the needs of the people in basic education, particularly the young people and the residents of the Kalayaan Village, Pasay City,  the creation of Kalayaan National High School in the City of Pasay was approved on November 22, 1997 and with substantial fund allotted and provided.

   Mayor Wenceslao “Peewee” Trinidad through his linkages with other government agencies especially the Manila International Airport Authority paved the way for the establishment of the Kalayaan National High School. It was on November 2002 that the school was established. The Officer-In-Charge then was Dr. Lourdes V. Venturina. Being a former Home Economics department head of Pasay City East High School, it is innate in her to accommodate visitors, guests, and co-workers with warm affection and savoury provision. With her soft-spoken character as well as genteel personality one’s heart could be surely captivated. It was during her term as acting principal that Kalayaan National High School started to be lodged at Kalayaan Elementary School It occupied five rooms (Room 1-4 and Room 8) of the Bldg. D of Kalayaan Elementary School. There were four First Year Level Classes with 254 students, seven teachers. After two years, it has found its own foundation of domain in an adjacent place.This is now where Kalayaan National High School is permanently located. On September 6, 2005, Kalayaan National High School was then fully recognized as a Secondary Public School in Pasay City. Kalayaan National High School continues to serve the people in Kalayaan Village and nearby cities like Parañaque City and Taguig.When Dr. Lourdes Venturina finished her term as OIC of the school due to compulsory retirement, it was Mrs. Lourdes G. Garrido who was officially appointed to perform the functions and duties of the principal of the school. It was in 2007 when the graceful school head was warmly welcomed by all in the school. Being smart and decisive are the qualities she possesses even before as English teacher of Pasay City West High School then later became the department head of the same school after which promoted as school head of Pasay City North High School. She has her own share of accomplishments during her stay at Kalayaan National High School to name some: construction of two steel gates for building A and B, provision of two long tables and two bookshelves for the library, installation of venetian blinds for three departments (Social Studies, Science and Technology, Mathematics) and Guidance Office, installation of clear glass for the Accounting Office. It was in her term of office that Kalayaan National High School was given an opportunity to be one of the recipients of Student-At-Risk of Dropping Out (SARDO) program of the Department of Education. Modules for the different subject areas were drafted, evaluated and finalized for compilation to be used for the said program in order to answer/augment the needs of those learners who are at risk of leaving the school due to absenteeism, physical condition, distance of the house to the school and financial problem. It is also the time when Alternative Learning System (ALS) was introduced and implemented in the school in order to accommodate out-of-school youths in the vicinity or even nearby cities that are qualified to enroll. The population of the school was 3, 291 and a dropout rate of 5.3%

         In 2009, another new leaf in the history of Kalayaan National High School has been turned. Dr. Myrna B. Gaza, an old familiar face for most of the members in the administration of the school was welcomed by old colleagues and other new co-workers as the newest principal. Her knowledge and skills in doing research works are significantly evident. Having a benevolent heart to share her expertise to show support to her subordinates is a trait to admire and imitate. Dr. Gaza is a principal who is well-skilled in computer. Her competence in using high-technology devices could be alluded to her love for new advancement and breakthroughs relative to her passion in her own field of expertise as a former Science and Technology teacher with specialization in Biology. During her time of stay at kalayaaan National High School her contribution to the improvement of the school are as follows: construction of three school gates, flower boxes (ground floor), concrete fence of school canteen, sound system booth in the Audio Visual Room, and drinking station through the generosity of the City Mayor’s Office. Provisions for: five long tables and two additional bookshelves in the library, built-in cabinets, lavatory, and working tables for the Science laboratory. Installation of: venetian blinds for the different offices, departments, and rooms as well as emergency lights with protective grills for every building of the school. She thought of improving the structure of the Audio Visual Room by drafting a proposal for the plan.

         After two years, the charming woman of authority with a passionate love for yellow pastel took over the place of the then promoted school head, Dr. Myrna B. Gaza. It was during her time as the Officer-In-Charge of Kalayaan National High School that almost everything turned into a hue of canary or gold. In a paradoxical manner, it was like “Midas touch” by the hands of Mrs. Aida B. Silva, the Education Program Supervisor of Filipino, Dep-ED Pasay. She has put up a garden and personally supervised it so that its beauty would be maintained for everyone to see and appreciate. A lover of nature, a down-to-earth person, as well as dyed-in –the-wool for yellow, Mrs. Silva has a soft and a compassionate heart for everyone around her in the school. Her share of improvement in the school includes: repair of electrical connections, construction of concrete fence with steel matting in front of administration office and Home Economics department as well as its practice house. Laying of tiles in the corridors on the ground floor of each building was also made possible during her time. Mrs. Silva is also a well-known figure in her own field of expertise as the “matriarch” of the new approach in the pedagogical linguistics called MOTHER TONGUE.

          The mantra is “Strive for excellence…do not settle for mediocrity.” This line is from the present principal of Kalayaan National High School. The hard working, dedicated, committed and energetic bachelor, Mr. Peter R. Cannon Jr. set foot on the portals of Kalayaan National High School in May of 2012. Since then the aim of soaring high in the pedagogical realm has started to be realized. Kalayaan National High School has been recognized in a different level. Citations and awards from the division level to the regional level to the national level have been bestowed to the school for it has always been placed on top as far as competitions for both academic and non-academic subject areas are concerned. It is in school year 2012-2013 that the school remarkably ranked as second (2^nd) in the National Achievement Test (NAT) in the whole division of Pasay next to Pasay City Science High School. It is indeed a milestone, a significant achievement for a small school to attain. Another momentous event happened when the school was cited as the Third (3^rd) placer for Regional Best Implementer of Brigada Eskwela 2013. The school also received recognition for being the Division’s Best Implementer of the first (1^st) Summer Science and Reading Camp in 2013. Aside from these, the school is the division’s choice to be the entry for National Cleaning Program. These accomplishments are only some among the many to mention achievements; therefore, the school deserves to be mounted in the imaginary academic wall of excellence.For School Year 2013-2014 Kalayaan National High School has opened another door in line with the thrusts of the Department of Education through Open High School Program. Sir Cannon’s constant reminder reverberates on the four walls of KNHS, “Do not rest on your laurels always give your best for good could be better but to be incomparable you must emerge as the best.”

Today, Kalayaan National High School stands in a U – shaped high rise three buildings..  Building A is a four storey building with eight classrooms, Building B has four floors which are occupied by  the Administration Building, the Faculty Rooms, the School Library, the Audio Visual Room, the Science Laboratory Room, the Records Room, the Guidance Office, the Office of the Principal, the Electrical Room, the Stock Room and the School Gymnasium. Building C is a five storey building comprising of ten classrooms. Another building is the two makeshift buildings constructed on the side of Building C where the School Canteen and the YECS Room are located. The other building houses the Feeding Room as well as the Industrial Rooms which include the Drafting Room, the Electrical Room, and the Automotive Room.s

            At present, the following are the Department Heads: English OIC, Ms. Gladys S Concepcion; Filipino OIC, Mrs. Lydia B. Poblete, MAPEH OIC, Mrs. Ester A. Arche; Math, Mrs. Fernanda G. Jamadin; Science, Ms. Ma. Garde B. Cleofe; Social Studies, Mrs. Felina P Patagan; Prac. Arts, Mr. Giovanni Rex T. Sorita; H.E., Fe Elvira v. Roldan; Values Educ. OIC, Mrs. Anna Jane M. Binarao; Non-Teaching Staff: Property Custodian, Mr. Noel R. Cabalin.; Disbursing Officer, Mrs. Leony P. Sendin; Clerks, Mrs. Marilou B. Laurente & Mrs. Imee Madelyn A. Reyes ; Driver, Nicolas D. Placer and Utility Mr. Nixon D. Dagñalan.