Gatchalian to graduating Tech-Voc SHS students: Get assessed, certified to boost employability

Senator Win Gatchalian urged graduating senior high school learners taking the technical-vocational-livelihood (TVL) track to undergo the free assessment program that could get them national certifications to boost their employability.

Gatchalian's call followed the anticipated release of the joint guidelines for free assessment and certification for senior high school students. Under the 2024 national budget, the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) are mandated to implement the program to benefit 420,900 TVL graduates.

During the deliberations on the 2024 national budget, Gatchalian proposed to fund the free assessment and certification of senior high school learners under the TVL track.

"Magandang balita para sa ating mga graduating senior high school students na kumukuha ng tech-voc -- libre na ang assessment para magkaroon ng national certification. Kung makapasa sa assessment ang senior high school graduates na kumuha ng TVL, hindi lang diploma ang makukuha nila sa kanilang pagtatapos. Magkakaroon din sila ng national certification upang tumaas ang tsansang makakuha sila ng trabaho," said Gatchalian, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.

The 2024 national budget allocates more than P438 million under the TESDA Regulatory Program to assess senior high school learners under the TVL track for the issuance of national certification.

For School Years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021, the certification rates among TVL graduates of senior high school were remarkably low at 25.7% and 6.8%, respectively. This is due to the prohibitive cost of National Certificate (NC) assessments averaging PHP 1,009.29 per individual which the students themselves personally pay.

Mga graduating tech-voc graduates ng senior high hinihimok ni Gatchalian na kumuha ng certification

Hinimok ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang mga magsisipagtapos na mag-aaral ng senior high school sa ilalim ng technical-vocational-livelihood (TVL) track na sumailalim sa libreng assessment para sa national certification nang sa gayon ay makakuha agad ng trabaho.

Kasunod ng panawagan ni Gatchalian ang paglalabas ng joint guidelines para sa libreng assessment at certification ng mga mag-aaral sa senior high school. Sa ilalim ng 2024 national budget, mandato sa Department of Education (DepEd) at sa Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) na ipatupad ang programa kung saan makikinabang ang 420,900 na mag-aaral sa ilalim ng TVL track.

Matatandaang ipinanukala ni Gatchalian ang paglalaan ng pondo sa naturang programa noong tinatalakay ang 2024 national budget.

"Magandang balita para sa ating mga graduating senior high school students na kumukuha ng tech-voc -- libre na ang assessment para magkaroon ng national certification. Kung makapasa sa assessment ang senior high school graduates na kumuha ng TVL, hindi lang diploma ang makukuha nila sa kanilang pagtatapos. Magkakaroon din sila ng national certification upang tumaas ang tsansang makakuha sila ng trabaho," ani Gatchalian, Chairperson ng Senate Committee on Basic Education.

Nakalaan sa ilalim ng 2024 national budget ang mahigit P438 milyon sa ilalim ng TESDA Regulatory Program upang magsagawa ng assessment sa mga mag-aaral ng senior high school sa ilalim ng TVL track. Magkakaroon naman ng national certificate ang mga makakapasa sa naturang assessment.

Matatandaang umabot lamang sa 25.7% noong School Year 2019-2020 at 6.8% noong School Year 2020-2021 ang certification rates ng TVL graduates ng senior high school. Hirap kasi ang mga mag-aaral na magbayad ng National Certificate (NC) assessments na nagkakahalaga ng P1,008.29 kada isa.