EDCOM pushes TESDA to expand higher-level certificates, devolve training functions
Andrie Hans Jones
The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) urges the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to delegate its training function to Local Government Units (LGUs) and roll out higher-level skills training, following its mandate under RA 7796.
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Photos Courtesy of kikobenitez.com/Top Gear Philippines. |
In a recent hearing on July 10, EDCOM 2 Co-chair Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo called on TESDA Director General Jose “Kiko” Benitez to focus the agency’s efforts on producing more high-yielding certification training.
“Maybe Secretary Kiko, it’s about time to put a halt to all these various programs that you have, and focus really on the really high-yielding NCs; maybe that would be a good legacy for your time at TESDA,” Roman Romulo said in a statement.
During the hearing, EDCOM officials noticed that a significant portion of TESDA’s program offerings remain at the National Certificate (NC) II level, which is considered low-tier in the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF).
A study presented by Ateneo-EDCOM 2 fellow Christopher Chua highlighted that out of over 12,000 NC II programs currently offered, only 26 are classified as top-level certifications, representing just 0.16 percent of all technical-vocational training programs.
The PQF was formalized into law in 2018 to establish national standards and credentials to strengthen academic worker mobility and mitigate job mismatch.
Benitez reiterated that the agency does offer a small number of NC V.
Under the framework, NC V is positioned at the fifth level within the framework’s eight-level structure, which is designed to equip individuals with a comprehensive set of skills, preparing them to work independently and contribute to problem-solving within their respective fields.
However, he said that it is still lacking an assessment mechanism.
“There is no NC V per se, because there is no assessment test…There is a Level 5 under the PQF, but there is no assessment tool from TESDA to provide it. So there is a resultant certification that is given [under PQF]”, Benitez said.
Aside from the limited number of high-level training programs, the commission also raised concerns about the quality of existing offerings.
TESDA diploma programs are designed for individuals seeking to acquire multiple skills and enhance their employability.
However, the Commission noted that for most of these programs, TESDA has merely grouped, or “bundled,” certifications to create these higher-level qualifications.
“‘Yung Cookery, ano ang makukuha noon sa [PQF Level 5] – they get the title of Chef already?…Dapat doon tayo patungo, [sa higher level NC’s]. Kasi sayang talaga ang oras ng individual”, Romul added. .
EDCOM also prodded the agency amid the devolution that had not been pursued before the first Independent Review Panel (IRP) was conducted from 1995 to 2002.
“The devolution of TESDA’s training functions to local government, eto, aaminin ko, hindi namin nagagawa. We had devolved certain institutions, we have LGU-led [training], but they are very spotty, not systematic. Much of this is dependent on the interest and sustained efforts of the local government itself”, Benitez said.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, co-chair of EDCOM 2, backed the devolution of its operation to the LGU, given the fact that almost half of TESDA’s annual budget is allocated towards the effort.
“The point of the matter is to stay true to the spirit of the law, which is to devolve — and 40 percent of your budget goes to running those TVIs… But that PhP 8 billion should yield positive results…What we’re calling for is to stay true to the law, which is to devolve it”, Gatchalian said.
In 2005, TESDA issued a plan to complete devolution within eight years.
However, only five institutions were transferred to local government units (LGUs), including those in Quezon City in 2008, and in Lopez, Quezon; Calamba, Laguna; and Maddela, Quirino in 2009.
Today, TESDA reports that only one of the devolved institutions remains operational.
Formalized into law in 1994, RA 7796 created TESDA under Section 29, mandating it to “formulate, implement, and finance a specific plan to develop the capability of local government units to assume ultimately the responsibility for effectively providing community-based technical education and skills development opportunities.”
Thirty years later, Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions continue to face challenges related to facility conditions, funding, and curriculum alignment with labor market needs, which affect graduates’ job readiness.