Gatchalian flags: Around 4 out of 10 TESDA graduates did not undergo assessment

Only 64% of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) graduates for 2022 took assessments for national certifications, Senator Win Gatchalian flagged during a hearing on the agency's proposed 2024 budget.

Gatchalian also lamented the decreasing targets for the number of Technical Vocational and Education Training (TVET) graduates that underwent assessment. From a 70% target in 2023, the target for 2024 is down to 60%.

"In order for these graduates to get employed, they need certification. Employers will value the certification of those courses," said Gatchalian.

"In a perfect world, we want 100% assessment. Everyone who took TESDA courses should undergo assessment and we want them to pass the certification. So how come in 2022, it's only 64 percent and how come the targets are getting lower?" Gatchalian asked TESDA officials.

According to TESDA Deputy Director General Aniceto Bertiz III, those who don't undergo assessments and receive certifications take courses that have no training regulations. Some of these courses include creative web design and other information and communication technology (ICT) courses, as well as language training courses.

"Hindi ba, before you can train, you need training regulations, and training regulations are also required in order to be assessed? Those are technical courses and I would assume that the value of those courses are in the certification," Gatchalian pressed.

TESDA Certification Office Executive Director Maria Susan Dela Rama further explained that programs with and without training regulations are both registered with TESDA. Those with training regulations, she explained, are the only ones that have competency assessment tools. Some programs, however, including those that are enterprise-based and community-based have no existing training regulations.

The TESDA official added that private providers are allowed to offer courses without training regulations to meet the demand in their communities, provinces, and regions. While TESDA has a hard time coping with the demand and developing all the training regulations, it ensures that registered programs have facilities, trainers, equipment, and curriculum, among other requirements that comply with industry standards.

Gatchalian is also pushing for the certification of senior high graduates who took the technical-vocational-livelihood (TVL) track to boost their employability. He proposes to include P1 billion in the 2024 proposed budget for the certification of around 400,000 TVL learners.

Gatchalian: 4 lamang sa 10 graduate ng TESDA ang dumadaan sa assessment

Ikinadismaya ni Senador Win Gatchalian na hindi lahat ng nagtapos ng Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) ay dumaan sa assessment. Halimbawa noong taong 2022, 64% lamang ng TESDA graduates ang dumaan sa assessment kaya sila lang din ang nabigyan ng national certifications.

Sa isinagawang pagdinig sa panukalang budget ng TESDA para sa taong 2024, pinuna ni Gatchalian na pababa nang pababa ang target ng ahensya para sa mga Technical Vocational and Education Training (TVET) graduates na dumaan ng assessment. Mula sa 70% na target noong 2023, 60% na lamang ang target ng ahensya para sa taong 2024.

"Magaganda ang mga kursong ito ngunit kailangan nila ng certification para tumaas ang tsansa nilang makapasok ng trabaho. Tiyak na pahahalagahan ng mga employers ang certification," ani Gatchalian.

"Sa perpektong sitwasyon, 100% ang dadaan sa assessment na inaasahan nating papasa at makakakuha ng certification. Pero bakit umabot lang tayo sa 64% noong 2022, at bakit pababa nang pababa ang target natin?" tanong ni Gatchalian.

Ayon kay TESDA Deputy Director General Aniceto Bertiz III, walang training regulations ang mga kursong kinukuha ng mga mag-aaral na hindi dumadaan sa assessment at hindi nakakatanggap ng certification. Kabilang sa mga kursong ito ang creative web design at iba pang mga information and technology (ICT) courses, pati na rin ang mga language training courses.

"Hindi ba't bago tayo magsanay ay kailangan natin ng training regulations, at hindi ba kailangan natin ng training regulations upang makapagsagawa ng assessment? Teknikal ang mga kursong ito at tingin ko, ang halaga ng mga ito ay nasa certification," giit ni Gatchalian.

Ipinaliwanag naman ni TESDA Certification Office Executive Director Maria Susan Dela Rama na may mga programang rehistrado sa TESDA, may training regulations man sila o wala. Taglay ng mga programang may training regulations ang mga competency assessment tools. Wala namang training regulations ang ilang mga programa, kabilang ang mga enterprise-based at community-based programs.

Dagdag pa ng opisyal, maaaring mag-alok ang mga private providers ng mga kursong walang training regulations upang matugunan ang demand sa mga komunidad, mga probinsya, at mga rehiyon. Bagama't aminado ang ahensya na hirap itong masabayan ang demand at pagbuo ng mga training regulations, tinitiyak nito na may sapat na mga pasilidad, guro, equipment, at curriculum ang mga rehistradong programa upang matiyak na angkop ito sa mga pamantayan ng industriya.

Isinusulong naman ni Gatchalian ang certification ng mga senior high school graduates na kumuha ng technical-vocational-livelihood (TVL) upang tumaas ang tsansa nilang makahanap ng trabaho. Isinusulong ng senador ang pagkakaroon ng P1 bilyong pondo sa ilalim ng 2024 national budget upang magkaroon ng certification ang humigit-kumulang 400,000 na mga mag-aaral.