When is the best age to go into entrepreneurship? Is it after the age of 60 when one is retired and has more time? Or the age of 40 when you have more experience? Or the age of 22 right after college? Though anyone can start becoming an entrepreneur at any age or time, it seems that the “best” is when a person is still young, such as students in high school, when they are starting to ponder on what path to take in their life.

This is perhaps the reason why the Department of Education (DepEd) not only supports youth entrepreneurship through words but has, in fact, even signed a memorandum of agreement with non-profit organization Go Negosyo. 

The signing, held on Nov. 27, 2023, between Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion, happened during the latter’s 18th anniversary.

The agreement’s primary focus is to boost entrepreneurship and agriculture entrepreneurship skills among Filipino youth. As outlined in the agreement, the programs aim to promote an entrepreneurial mindset, build skills through mentorship, and increase financial literacy. 

Key initiatives include the “Pampaaralang Taniman ng mga Agribida (PTA),” a school garden project, and “Youthpreneur,” a public entrepreneurship mentoring event. There’s also “Mentoring the Mentors,” which is designed to train teachers in teaching basic entrepreneurship concepts in the classroom.

Duterte highlighted how an innovative mindset among the youth will be key to achieving a truly progressive nation. She underscored how the agreement aligns with the DepEd’s MATATAG agenda and how it enables the youth to identify opportunities for creating wealth and respond to social and economic changes. 

To implement these objectives, the collaboration envisions leveraging the private sector’s support. Duterte explained how high school students could benefit from exposure to basic agriculture concepts, allowing the establishment of school gardens and the cultivation of cash crops on school sites. She emphasized that these initiatives not only promote agricultural awareness but also serve as platforms for community engagement, encouraging shared goals and healthy eating habits.

Concepcion emphasized the significance of public-private partnerships in realizing these goals. He noted a growing interest in entrepreneurship among young Filipinos. With the support of the DepEd, Concepcion said Go Negosyo can now institutionalize this training so that it becomes part of the school curriculum in primary education. This, he added, will “reach more young Filipinos and teach them about entrepreneurship, or at least open their minds to it.”

The technical working group formed after the signing, comprising members from both DepEd and Go Negosyo, will oversee the implementation of the agreement. DepEd will provide policy guidance, data, and program evaluation, while Go Negosyo will contribute mentors, secure support and resources, and lead in implementation in coordination with the education department.

The recent success of the pilot event, “Youthpreneur,”  attended by hundreds of senior high school students from 17 schools, is a promising indicator. Concepcion sees this success as a positive sign for future programs aimed at cultivating the next generation of Filipino entrepreneurs.

By focusing on students, the initiative aims to instill values and discipline early on in those who may become the future leaders of our country. As these programs start to take root, may an experienced group of business-savvy Filipinos see the wisdom of passing on their learnings so that the young will not only feel inspired to go into entrepreneurship but are also empowered to be the best version of themselves.