Deputy Speaker Camille A. Villar of Las Piñas filed House Bill No. 9808 aimed at fortifying the employability and competitiveness of senior high school (SHS) graduates within the K to 12 program. Titled “An Act Ensuring That Senior High School Graduates Under The K To 12 Program Are Equipped With The Knowledge, Training And Skills Demanded In The Labor Market…,” the bill proposes comprehensive measures to achieve this objective.
The bill underscores the vital necessity of aligning SHS education with labor market demands to enhance graduates’ readiness for employment across public and private sectors. It emphasizes equipping SHS graduates with the requisite knowledge, training and skills demanded by industries, thereby bolstering their competitiveness in the workforce.
Key provisions of the bill include the establishment of Batang Magaling National and Local Councils, designed as collaborative platforms between educational institutions and industry stakeholders. These councils will facilitate the updating and alignment of curricular offerings and the work immersion component of the SHS program with market needs identified by industry partners and government agencies.
At the national level, the councils will consist of representatives from the Department of Education (DepEd), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), national industry partners, a national labor group, and the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP). Similarly, at the local level, the councils will involve local school boards, Public Employment Service Offices (PESO), industry partners, TESDA provincial offices and local employee organizations.
The bill mandates the councils to conduct labor market demand studies every three years, serving as the foundation for enhancing the work immersion component of the SHS program and crafting the Batang Magaling roadmap. This roadmap aims to align the tracks and strands of the K to 12 Basic Education curriculum with industry demands.
Furthermore, educational institutions offering the SHS program are mandated to provide Work Immersion Programs (WIPs) aimed at enhancing students’ competencies, skills, work ethics and values relevant to further education or employment.
Additionally, the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will collaborate to develop and maintain a centralized nationwide database of skills information for SHS graduates. They will also conduct studies and research to minimize barriers to SHS employment and promote affirmative hiring of graduates.
Deputy Speaker Villar stresses the importance of ensuring that SHS students are adequately prepared for employment upon completing the K to 12 program. She highlights that the proposed bill aims to equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to enhance their employability and competitiveness in the job market.
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