Press Release
October 17, 2012

'NAT'L SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK
WILL HELP SOLVE EMPLOYMENT WOES' - ANGARA

Senator Edgardo J. Angara welcomed the recent signing of an executive order (EO) that institutionalizes a unified educational and training system throughout the country.

Earlier this week, President Benigno Aquino III signed EO 83, establishing the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) which harmonizes basic education, technical-vocational education and higher education into a nationwide schedule of skills and competencies.

"With such a framework in place, students gain a clearer picture of the competencies they need for the jobs they are interested in. Conversely, employers gain the ability to more easily identify the basic work-skills their employees must possess," said Angara, Chair of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture.

The veteran lawmaker explained that the framework addresses the problem of job-skills mismatch, in turn easing unemployment and underemployment in the country.

Earlier, the National Statistics Office (NSO) reported that around 2.8 million Filipinos, roughly 7 percent of the population were unemployed, while 8.5 million or 22.7 percent of the working population were underemployed.

Angara, who recently sponsored the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2012, noted that the PQF is in line with the proposed K to 12 program in preparing and guiding students into the labor force.

"The signing of the EO comes at a very auspicious time, since we are in the midst of undertaking very far-reaching reforms to our educational system," added the former UP President.

According to EO 83, the PQF will be a national eight-level "qualification descriptor system" which will measure knowledge, skills and values, application and degree of independence of students.

A PQF National Coordinating Council, composed of Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) and the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC), will constantly consult with the industry sector "to ensure alignment of educational outcomes to job requirements."

"These agencies will implement programs and ensure that the PQF is relevant and applicable to the demands of our industries, "said Angara.

"Much more has to be done, but I truly hope this marks the start of our transition into a talented, well-educated, and globally competitive Philippines."

Angara chaired the Congressional Commission on Education in the 1990s which led to the trifocalization of the country's educational system and the establishment of the TESDA, CHED and Department of Education (DepEd).

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