By Chito Chavez
The Quezon City government will establish Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) competency assessment centers as it continues to prioritize education and development of skills in its learning institutions.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
City Ordinance 2856-2019, authored by former District 5 councilor and now Education Affairs Unit chief Julienne Alyson Rae Medalla, states that the city-owned assessment centers will be supervised by the Office of the City Mayor and managed by the School Division Office.
The TESDA-accredited competency assessment centers are school-based or stand-alone facilities that assess and certify an individual’s skills, knowledge, attitude, and work values relative to the units of competency prescribed by the industry.
Through the legislation, a Competency Assessment Committee will be formed to create a standard manual of operations of the centers, and to draft the ordinance’s Implementing Rules and Regulations.
The Committee will be composed of the City Mayor as the chairperson; and Schools Division Office (SDO) Superintendent as the vice chairperson.
Committee members include the City Council’s Committee on Education chairperson; and representatives from SDO, Treasurer’s Office, Local Economic Investment Promotions Office, Scholarship and Youth Development Program, Local School Board Secretariat, Competency Assessment Center Supervisor, Center Managers, Public Employment Service Office, and TESDA.
The Competency Assessment Committee is also tasked to monitor if the standard manual operations of the center is efficiently implemented.
It will also be compelled to ensure that the programs and services of Competency Assessment Centers are aligned with the city’s thrusts and responsive to market needs locally and overseas; and collaborate with national agencies; NGOs; and private sector for the improvement of programs and expansion of services.
Collection of fees will be based on the standard TESDA fees and other fees that will cover the operation of the training center.
The ordinance also creates a Competency Assessment Center Trust Fund where all fees collected and remitted will be allocated exclusively for the center’s expenses including its rehabilitation and improvements; operations and maintenance; petty cash fund; cost of supplies and materials; and program development of assessment services.