THE Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) reported that it ended 2022 with a total of 667 deals with local and international stakeholders to further strengthen the technical vocational education and training (TVET) in the Philippines.
Last year saw the agency signed 649 memoranda of agreement, 16 memoranda of understanding (MOU) and two memoranda of partnerships with different public and private organizations.
“By expanding partnerships and international cooperation, we can ensure that the tech-voc training of the country is at par with international standards. These also support our ongoing pursuit for an area-based and demand-driven TVET,” said Tesda Director General Danilo P. Cruz.
In 2022, the agency continued to beef up the Industry Boards, which are active independent organizations in the governance of TVET. These quadripartite bodies are comprised of representatives from employers, labor, academic and government sectors.
Likewise, it signed agreements with various government entities, such as the Philippine Statistics Authority, Philippine Coconut Authority-Agricultural Training Institute, Department of Trade and Industry, and Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Through bilateral cooperation, Tesda is engaged with other countries like the United Kingdom and Australia to benchmark TVET standards and advance this sector domestically.
The agency also works with development partners worldwide, such as the International Labour Organization, United States Agency for International Development, Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank and Korea International Cooperation Agency.
Its participation in the recently concluded WorldSkills Competitions 2022 Special Edition, wherein the Philippines bagged a Medallion for Excellence in the Cooking skill area, not only has exposed its trainers and trainees to higher levels of learning and more advanced technologies, but also supports its pursuit of developing more diploma programs and the benchmarking of curriculum and assessment.
Additionally, Tesda gained respect and recognition from Asean when it led the Asean TVET Council (ATC) as its inaugural chair from 2020 to 2022. It hosted the 2nd ATC meeting last November 17 and 18 in Manila and turned over the chairmanship to Singapore.
This year, it has forged with Hungary’s Ministry of Innovation and Technology a MOU, covering cooperation in the areas of TVET systems, development of competency standards, and research and development, among others.
Among the private organizations the agency has started working with in 2023 include SM Retail Inc., Huawei Technologies Phils. Inc., Project Inclusion Network, Far East Broadcasting Corp., and Sunsmart-UFG.
Future endeavors
IN support of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028, Tesda is in the process of developing the National Technical Education and Skills Development Plan (NTESDP) 2023-2028.
“The NTESDP is the TVET sector’s road map for the next five years and will work on the strategies of new mindset, restyle, reskill and digitalization with the Area-Based, Demand Driven TVET as a central strategy,” Cruz said.
More centers aimed at pushing TVET in the country are expected to be built by the agency via the Supporting Innovation in the Philippine Technical and Vocational Education and Training System Project with the Asian Development Bank.
This initiative is a $100 million loan that will finance the upgrade and modernization of training facilities and equipment in 17 selected technology institutions nationwide to transform them into industry responsive innovation hubs and offer higher-level TVET programs.
“Tesda remains committed to improving the tech-voc sector of the country in response to the challenges brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” said the agency’s chief.
He emphasized that they will expand enterprise-based training and support the employability of TVET graduates by strengthening the Apprenticeship Program.
Tesda will make sure that safeguard mechanisms are in place in rolling out this trainee initiative and that these are aligned with emerging trends.