Recognizing the potential of e-commerce to produce job-ready Grade 12 graduates, the Department of Education (DepEd) announced on Thursday, Aug. 1, that it is considering including an e-commerce track in the revised Senior High School (SHS) curriculum.
“I think e-commerce is here to stay because it’s part of a much larger marketplace,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said in a mix of English and Filipino on the sidelines of the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between DepEd, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Philippine Board of Investments (BOI), and Thames International School. The MoA aims to introduce a specialized SHS E-commerce Track.
Angara stated that the introduction of the e-commerce track is a significant development as it will create numerous employment opportunities for SHS graduates.
Following President Marcos' directive, Angara noted that this initiative will “give hope” to K to 12 graduates regarding employment prospects.
“This gives a great chance for our graduates to find jobs even if they only finish Senior High School. That was our government's promise when we passed the K-12 program: that they would be able to find work even if they only graduate from Grade 12,” he added.
DepEd Undersecretary for Curriculum and Teaching Gina Gonong explained that this initiative is part of the ongoing review of the SHS curriculum.
“The review and revision of our Senior High School curriculum is ongoing, and we see the potential for the e-commerce track to be included in the new curriculum, which is still under review and redevelopment,” Gonong said.
Developed in partnership with Thames International School, the E-commerce Track will be piloted in 50 selected schools in Metro Manila, Calabarzon, and Central Luzon this school year.
Preparing the future workforce
Meanwhile, DepEd and the Philippine Board of Investments (BOI) signed a MoA outlining a strategic partnership to launch the initiative titled “Kids for the Future of Philippine Industrialization.”
This program focuses on Information Technology segments such as animation, game development, and software development, designed to ensure that future talents acquire skills relevant to the rapidly evolving global digital economy.
The partnership with the BOI aims to bridge the gap between education and industry needs.
“We have economic zones under the BOI, and many modern industries are emerging, such as artificial intelligence, software development, game development, and animation,” Angara said in a mix of English and Filipino.
“These areas are not yet part of the curriculum, but we are now seeing the potential to include some subjects because many students are interested in them.”
“When you mention game development and software development, these are really popular among the youth,” Angara added. “We see this trend and need to incorporate it to enhance our students' prospects for finding employers and jobs.”
Angara noted that initiatives like this increase the chances of graduates finding jobs after completing SHS.
BOI Chairman and DTI Secretary Alfredo Pascual and DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara signed the MoA.
The program aims to create a future-ready workforce aligned with the needs of the Philippine industrial sector, particularly the IT industry, by enhancing the skills and knowledge of young learners.
The partnership initially focuses on the Information Technology sector, specifically animation, game development, and software development, and aims to develop both technical and soft skills in students to prepare them for the future workforce.
The initial phase includes creating an audiovisual presentation (AVP) to promote game development as a career path.
Junior and SHS learners, educators, and K to 12 graduates are expected to benefit from the program.