MANILA โ An official of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) on Wednesday said the agency, under the leadership of Secretary Suharto Mangudadatu, does not only focus on accessibility but also on inclusivity.
“It’s not just about accessibility but inclusivity also. We are very much engaged with our partners, particularly the local government units,” TESDA Deputy Director General Rosanna Urdaneta said in a post-State of the Nation Address (SONA) discussion held in Pasay City.
She said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. had asked Mangudadatu to ensure two things when he appointed him last June โ to harmonize the technical-vocational-livelihood (TVL) track with the Department of Education (DepEd) and to reskill and upskill as many Filipinos as possible.
“When it comes to accessibility, we have made it a point that the scholarship has been allocated to all the private TVIs (technical vocational institutions) as well as the TESDA institutions to reach 300,000 graduates or trainees or enrollees,” she said.
Urdaneta said there are 150 TESDA online programs that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) could also access.
“We also have what we call ‘micro credentialing’. These are micro programs where industries could participate and register their programs to TESDA. These are five- to 10-day programs that upskill or reskill Filipinos,” she said.
TESDA has been engaging the industry on training and development. It coordinates with industry partners, which allows for the creation of a curriculum based on what industry players really need.
“We sit down with them and provide them the opportunity to implement programs,” Urdaneta said.
The agency also ensures that its accessibility is anchored on the agencyโs new guiding principle: “Sa TESDA, Lingap ay Maaasahan”.
TESDA, Urdaneta said, will reach out to 42,000 villages to train their communities.
“Because we believe that you could help five people by training just one… You will be able to, at least, help the five members in a household,” she added. (PNA)
