One of the six commissioners of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) On Wednesday reaffirmed his call to address issues surrounding Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) that revolve around job-skills mismatch.
According to Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, who co-chairs the Committee on TVET and Lifelong Learning, nearly two-thirds of TVET graduates still experience training-job mismatch or work occupations that are not similar to the expected occupation of the training program.
Dr. Christina Epetia, Research Fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), reported a dramatic drop in TVET graduates and assessments caused by the Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic during the EDCOM 2 first Standing Committee meeting.
According to Epetia's report, the lack of promotion of enterprise-based training, as well as an increase in college students and graduates enrolling in TVET courses, can be attributed to a desire for employable skills and protection from labor market changes.
EDCOM 2 Co-Chairperson Senator Sherwin Gatchalian and Advisory Council members Mr. Alfredo Ayala and Ms. Irene Isaac were also present at the Standing Committee meeting. Members of the Standing Committee, including Fr. Jun Inocencio, President of Unified TVET of the Philippines; Edicio de la Torre, President of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement; Charles Kenneth Co, President of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry; John Thomas Franco, President of Mindanao Technical Vocational Association (minTVET); Dr. Christopher Monterola, Professor at the Asian Institute of Management; and Mr. Lito Tayag, former Country Managing Director and President of Accenture, Inc. (Philippines).
