The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) recently signed an agreement to help boost skills training efforts benefiting Indigenous People (IP) and former rebels.
Under the agreement, TESDA will upskill police officers in various technical-vocational studies prior to them being assigned to remote communities to train IPs and former rebels on the same.
"With this arrangement, the government can train more of our special clients and develop their skills for employment or livelihood, and uplift their quality of life and their communities," TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña said, admitting as of the moment they do not have enough trainers and training schools in far-flung communities.
PNP Chief Police General Archie Gamboa believes the PNP's cooperation with TESDA on the project timely, noting it could greatly impact the lives of people in isolated areas particularly during this pandemic.
"Harnessing technical education and skills could be one of the logical solutions to help our people get back on their feet," he said.
The agreement stipulates that TESDA and the PNP will carry out not only education and training but also provide facilities and equipment-sharing for training and assessment as with competency assessment and certification in adherence to existing rules and regulations of both agencies.
Lapeña also shared with the PNP a two-pronged strategic thrust used by TESDA trainers all over the country as a guide on empowering their trainees: Global Competitiveness and Workforce Readiness; and Social Equity for Poverty Reduction.
"Skills training is meant to capacitate people to find new paths for development among themselves, their families, and their community as a whole. Education and training can create those new paths, and we need capable trainers to deliver them," he added.
Last June, TESDA already expressed preparedness in providing free skills training to police officers of the Police Regional Office Region 12 (PRO-12) to capacitate them as trainers.