House members have passed on third and final reading a measure that, once enacted, will offer students the choice of joining a program that will prepare them for either a university o a technical-vocational education once they graduate from junior high school.
House OKs measure offering 'education pathway' to junior high school grads
At a glance
House members have passed on third and final reading a measure that, once enacted, will offer students the choice of joining a program that will prepare them for either a university o a technical-vocational education once they graduate from junior high school.
House Bill (HB) No. 11213 or the "Education Pathways Act" will make junior high school graduates choose between what will be called two "education pathways" in a bid to help them "attain their maximum potential and enhance their employability".
It garnered 200 affirmative votes during plenary session Tuesday, Jan. 28. Only three congressmen voted in the negative.
Lawmakers believed that the education pathways will "empower and equip the learners with the competencies that are necessary for college or employment".
Under the bill, the two pathways are: the university preparatory pathway and technical-vocational education Pathway.
For the university preparatory pathway, the Department of Education (DepEd) shall develop and implement a comprehensive curriculum for Grades 11 and 12 that will prepare students for admission to colleges and universities.
This curriculum shall encompass fundamental subjects to improve and guarantee that students acquire functional literacy and practical skills, and elective courses to allow students to explore their interests and meet college and university admission requirements of their chosen degree.
Meanwhile, various agencies and stakeholders, including the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), shall develop a variety of technical-vocational programs based on an industry-driven and industry-approved standards designed to equip students with practical skills and competencies at par with industry requirements for those who choose the other pathway.
Programs offered, according to the bill, must lead to a diploma or a higher national certificate level, while the standards of the programs must further esure that students acquire functional literacy skills to guarantee their employability upon completion of their chosen program and undergoing the necessary assessment for certification.
"To effectively implement the programs, TESDA and its accredited Technical Vocational Institutions must have a sufficient number of partner enterprises to ensure that the standards and training for these programs are aligned with current industry needs and requirements," the bill read.
"This collaboration shall include the conduct of a review and evaluation of the standards every three years to maintain its relevance and responsiveness to the prevailing trends in the industry," it added.
And for TESDA to undertake the prompt issuance of training regulations or competency standard for new and emerging skill sets, it shall also strengthen existing industry boards and establish industry boards for sectors without one within two years from the effectivity of the measure.