RP 5 lets it all out on Bahrain

The Department of Education (DepEd) has identified 18 priority subject areas that they will focus on as they push more aggressively for technical-vocational education in public schools this coming school year.

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said at a breakfast forum sponsored by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at the Ristorante La Dolce Fontana in Greenhills, San Juan, that the priority areas the DepEd will give emphasis to include electrical technology, welding, computer technology, ICT and software skills, and technical drawing.

Lapus said the DepEd is initially targeting 140 high schools where the strengthened technical-vocational education program will be implemented.

Since a large number of the 140 high schools are in rural areas and have existing specialties in agricultural training, these schools will focus on vegetable production, food processing, animal husbandry and crop production, while fishery schools will focus on fish capture, culture and processing.

From the initial 140 schools, DepEd expects to cover 261 technical-vocational schools nationwide by school year 2009-2010.

Lapus said there is an urgent need to give high school students the skills needed by the labor market so that they can become employable, whether or not they go on to earn college diplomas.

He said preparing the 140 vocational high schools for the school opening in June requires the repair of workshop buildings, procurement of tools, facilities and equipment, which are now being undertaken.

DepEd is also arranging to open up 328 additional teacher positions to be allocated to technical-vocational schools. These additional teachers will also serve as career guidance counsellors and laboratory supervisors.

Lapus earlier created a technical-vocational advisory council whose members include the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Technological University of the Philippines (TUP), Don Bosco High School, the Meralco Foundation Inc., South East Asian Ministers of Education Organization - Regional Center for Educational Innovation and Technology (SEAMEO-Innotech), SEAMEO Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and other industry experts.

Lapus said the DepEd is also sending 1,539 Technical-Vocational Teachers (TVE teachers) to a three-week training on 18 priority subject areas to ensure their preparedness to handle technical-vocational education this coming schoolyear.

“The training is in line with our objective to upgrade the technical and vocational skills of TVE teachers and equip them with the needed tools to handle the job,” Lapus said. “We want our TVE teachers to acquire a National Certificate Level 1 or 2 in their field of specialization.”