A total of 649 memoranda of agreement, 16 memoranda of understanding, and two memoranda of partnerships were signed by the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in 2022, further advancing technical vocational education and training (TVET) in the country.

TESDA Director General Danilo P. Cruz. (Photo courtesy of TESDA)

In a statement on Monday, Jan. 9, the agency stated that it continues to forge partnerships with local and international stakeholders as well as various public and private organizations.

“By expanding partnerships and international cooperation, we can ensure that the tech-voc training of the country is at par with international standards. These also support our ongoing pursuit for an area-based and demand-driven TVET,” TESDA Director General Danilo Cruz said.

Among the private organizations that TESDA has started working with this year include: SM Retail, Inc., Huawei Technologies Phils., Inc.; Project Inclusion Network; Far East Broadcasting Corp.; and, Sunsmart-UFG.

TESDA also signed agreements with government entities such as: Korea International Cooperation Agency; Philippine Statistics Authority; Philippine Coconut Authority-Agricultural Training Institute; Department of Trade and Industry; and, Department of the Interior and Local Government.

In 2022, TESDA also continued to strengthen the Industry Boards which are independent organizations that have an active role in the governance of TVET. These Boards are quadripartite bodies formed with representatives from employers, labor, learning institutions, and government.

At the same time, TESDA engages with other countries through bilateral cooperation to benchmark TVET standards and advance the Philippines’ TVET sector.

TESDA has existing cooperation with countries and development partners such as the United Kingdom, Australia, International Labour Organization (ILO), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Asian Development Bank (ADB), and World Bank.

This year, TESDA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hungary’s Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MIT). This covers cooperation in the areas of TVET systems, development of competency standards, and research and development, among others.

Meanwhile, TESDA's participation in the recently concluded WorldSkills Competitions 2022 Special Edition in which the Philippines bagged a Medallion for Excellence in the Cooking skill area, has exposed TESDA trainers and learners to higher levels of learning and more advanced technologies. Further, it also supports the Agency’s pursuit of developing more diploma programs and the benchmarking of curriculum and assessment.

In addition, TESDA has gained respect and recognition in the ASEAN region when it led the ASEAN TVET Council (ATC) as its inaugural Chair for 2020-2022. It hosted the 2nd ATC meeting on November 17-18 in Manila and turned over the Chairmanship to Singapore.

Meanwhile, to support the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028, the TESDA is in the process of developing the National Technical Education and Skills Development Plan (NTESDP) 2023-2028 “The NTESDP is the TVET sector’s roadmap for the next five years and will work on the strategies of ‘new mindset’, ‘restyle’, ‘reskill’ and ‘digitalization’ with the Area-Based, Demand Driven TVET as a central strategy,” explained Cruz.

As part of TESDA’s innovation ecosystem, more TVET innovation centers are expected to be built in the country through the Supporting Innovation in the Philippine Technical and Vocational Education and Training System (SIPTVETS) Project with the ADB.

The SIPTVETS is a $100 million loan that will upgrade and modernize the training facilities and equipment in 17 selected technology institutions across the country to transform them into industry-responsive innovation centers and offer higher-level TVET programs.

“TESDA remains committed to improving the tech-voc sector of the country in response to the challenges brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” said Director General Cruz.

He further emphasized that TESDA will expand enterprise-based training, and support the employability of TVET graduates by strengthening the Apprenticeship Program. TESDA will ensure that safeguard mechanisms are in place in the implementation of apprenticeship and that these are aligned with emerging trends.

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