Secretary Sonny Angara, whose term as Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) officially began on Friday, July 19, has received support for his push to improve the quality of education in the country and enhance the employability of K to 12 basic education program graduates.
As they welcomed Angara, the country's top business groups and major industry associations expressed their support for the new DepEd Secretary.
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In a statement, the groups reiterated their unified support for President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.'s directive to Angara to prioritize the employability of senior high school (SHS) graduates.
“We recognize the vital role Filipino youth play in our nation's workforce and future prosperity,” the groups said.
Current status
The groups pointed out that the job market continues to present challenges for recent graduates entering a competitive environment.
“There remains a mismatch between the guaranteed skills and preparedness of SHS graduates and their actual skills, which discourages employers from hiring them,” the groups said. “This, coupled with concerns about learning gaps in basic education, continues to create barriers to successful employment,” they added.
While it is encouraging to see the increase in employers’ willingness to hire SHS graduates—from 60 percent in 2018 to 87 percent in 2024, as indicated in the 2024 Jobs Outlook Survey by Philippines Business for Education—the groups agreed that there is a need to further increase industry participation in education.
“These challenges in SHS present an opportunity for the private sector to enhance learners’ skills and support the Department in building a stronger, more prepared workforce,” the groups said.
What can be done
To address these issues, they commit to collaborating with DepEd to improve SHS outcomes by providing input to the curriculum to enhance technical and employability skills, extending work immersion programs, and offering industry-relevant training opportunities to teachers and instructors. They also pledge to review their hiring processes and policies to make them more equitable for SHS graduates.
“We also believe that to effectively address the pervasive learning crisis, we must prioritize improvements in both senior high school and early childhood education and nutrition,” the groups said.
Given this, the groups expressed their support for DepEd in areas such as remediation, infrastructure, equipment, technology, and other supporting systems that will help students learn better.
Among the signatories were the Philippine Business for Education, Makati Business Club, Private Sector Advisory Council, Philippine Business for Social Progress, People Management Association of the Philippines, Philippine Constructors Association, Employers Confederation of the Philippines, and IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines.
It was also supported by the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations, Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines, Philippine Association of Private Schools, Colleges, & Universities, Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities, Association of Christian Schools, Colleges, and Universities, Unified TVET of the Philippines, Inc., and the Association of Private Colleges and Universities of Region 7.
“Now, more than ever, we need to work together to support our youth by guaranteeing quality education and boosting their employability. We look forward to working with the Department of Education in achieving these goals,” the groups said.
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