Gatchalian seeks inquiry on free certification of tech-voc SHS graduates to boost employability

Senator Win Gatchalian is seeking an inquiry on the implementation of the Free Senior High School Assessment and Certification Support Program for technical-vocational-livelihood (TVL) learners, an initiative that seeks to boost their employability.

In filing Proposed Senate Resolution No. 935, Gatchalian pressed the need to assess the readiness of the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to roll out the program.

During the deliberations on the 2024 national budget, Gatchalian pushed to fund the free certification of senior high school learners taking the TVL track. Under the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA), P438.16 million was allotted under the TESDA Regulatory Program to assess senior high school learners taking the TVL track for the issuance of National Certification (NC). The allocation aims to benefit 420,900 Grade 12 TVL graduates.

Gatchalian proposed to fund the assessment and certification of Grade 12 learners taking the TVL track because of the low certification rates recorded for School Years (SY) 2019-2020 (25.7%) and 2020-2021 (6.8%). The low certification rates were attributed to the prohibitive cost of NC Assessments, the average cost of which is P1,009.29 per individual. Despite the low certification rates, the passing rates among those who took the assessment were 98% in SY 2019-2020 and 97% in SY 2020-2021.

"Isinulong nating pondohan ang certification ng ating mga senior high school graduates sa TVL track upang tumaas ang posibilidad na makakuha sila ng maayos na trabaho. Nais nating tiyakin na magagamit nang tama ang inilaan nating pondo upang matulungan ang mga Grade 12 TVL graduates," said Gatchalian, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.

The amount of P50 million is also allotted to the DepEd under the Teacher Quality and Development Program to train and certify senior high school teachers under the TVL track through TESDA.

Gatchalian also hopes that the certification of Grade 12 graduates taking the TVL track would address their lack of labor market advantage. According to a 2020 study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, the average daily basic pay of senior high school graduates was P316, only P14 higher than Junior High School completers.

Libreng certification sa tech-voc SHS graduates iparerepaso ni Gatchalian

Iparerepaso ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang pagpapatupad ng Free Senior High School Assessment and Certification Support Program para sa mga mag-aaral ng technical-vocational-livelihood (TVL). Layon ng naturang programang pataasin ang tsansa ng mga TVL graduates ng senior high school na makakuha ng magandang trabaho.

Sa paghahain ng Proposed Senate Resolution No. 935, binigyang diin ni Gatchalian ang pangangailangang suriin ang kahandaan ng Department of Education (DepEd) at Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) na ipatupad ang programa.

Sa mga naging deliberasyon para sa 2024 national budget, itinulak ni Gatchalian ang paglalaan ng pondo para sa libreng certification ng mga mag-aaral ng senior high school sa ilalim ng TVL track. Sa ilalim ng 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA), P438.16 milyon ang inilaan sa pondo ng TESDA Regulatory Program para sa assessment at paggawad ng National Certification (NC) sa mag-aaral ng TVL sa senior high school. Tinatayang 420,900 Grade 12 TVL graduates ang sasaklawin ng naturang pondo.

Ipinanukala ni Gatchalian na pondohan ang assessment at certification ng mga senior high school graduates sa TVL track dahil sa mababang certification rates na naitala noong School Year (SY) 2019-2020 (25.7%) at 2020-2021 (6.8%). Lumalabas na mababa ang certification rate dahil hindi kayang tustusan ng karamihan sa mga mag-aaral ang NC assessment na umaabot sa humigit-kumulang P1,009.29 kada isang estudyante. Bagama't mababa ang certification rates, umabot naman sa 98% ang passing rates ng mga kumuha ng assessment noong SY 2019-2020 at 97% naman para sa SY 2020-2021.

"Isinulong nating pondohan ang certification ng ating mga senior high school graduates sa TVL track upang tumaas ang posibilidad na makakuha sila ng maayos na trabaho. Nais nating tiyakin na magagamit nang tama ang inilaan nating pondo upang matulungan ang mga Grade 12 TVL graduates," ani Gatchalian, Chairperson ng Senate Committee on Basic Education.

May P50 milyon ding inilaan sa DepEd sa ilalim ng Teacher Quality and Development Program upang mabigyan ng training at certification ang mga senior high school teachers sa pamamagitan ng TESDA.

Umaasa si Gatchalian na makatutulong ang certification ng mga Grade 12 graduates sa TVL track upang tugunan ang kawalan nila ng labor market advantage. Ayon sa isang pag-aaral ng Philippine Institute for Development Studies noong 2020, ang average daily basic pay ng mga senior high school graduates ay P316, mas mataas lamang ng P14 sa mga nakatapos ng Junior High School.