July 1st, 2022
House Ways and Means Chair Joey Sarte Salceda (Albay, 2nd district) has expressed support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s push for skills development in the education sector, which the President emphasized during his inaugural address.
“PBBM is right about skills development. We need to pivot to a more skills-centered education system. The world economy cares little about diplomas. It cares for skills. And the German model, indeed, is among the world’s most effective models for that.”
“The German model is emphatic on higher order technical skills that can make their economy the world’s source of machines and technology nobody else can make,” Salceda explained.
Salceda, who is the principal author of ten bills collectively branded as the Comprehensive Education Reform Agenda, has been vocal about focusing on skills development in the public education curriculum. Salceda has particularly championed the Meister Schools Act, derived from the German education model, which allows industries to shape the curriculum for certain schools and emphasizes highly technical and vocational education in high school.
Salceda has also pushed for making technical and vocational education the default strand for senior high school in his proposed K-12 Reform Act.
“I have also talked to Chairman Prospero de Vera of CHED that my vision for college in the Philippines is that all college courses that can be TESDA certified should be certified, and that every graduate finishes not just with a diploma but with several TESDA skills in tow.”
“I have also discussed similar ideas with VP Sara, who will helm DepEd. She told me we have work to do in that area.” Salceda added.
“In fact, in my district we are already piloting the teaching of agriculture-related skills in basic education, particularly in the Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan subject,” Salceda added.
“As Congress convenes the Congressional Commission on Education that we created last Congress, I will be making a stronger push for this policy direction, consistent with PBBM’s view,” Salceda concluded.