Sara Duterte, Go Negosyo explore adding entrepreneurship to high school curriculum

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President and Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sara Duterte met with Go Negosyo to explore how young people can learn to become entrepreneurs while still in school.

Joey Concepcion, the founder of Go Negosyo, led the meeting and talked about giving students more options for success, especially for those who may not complete the usual 13-year curriculum or go on to higher education. He said that teaching entrepreneurship could be a game-changer.

“Our idea is if we open up this avenue to young people, there would be a way for them to find an alternative path to success,” Concepcion said. 

“Not all families have the resources to support children through the completion of the entire curriculum. We could help these young people find their path, focus on it, and maybe one day the students can turn it into a business,” he said, adding that there are many successful entrepreneurs who succeeded even without the benefit of higher education," he added.

During the meeting, they discussed the different ways to teach entrepreneurship in schools. Ideas included bringing in successful business people to mentor students and partnering with companies in agriculture, which according to Concepcion, could help students learn practical business skills.

Go Negosyo is known for its work in mentoring and supporting entrepreneurs. They have used various methods to help different groups, such as women, young people and overseas Filipino workers. They also adapted to the pandemic by moving their programs online, allowing them to reach even more people.

Duterte suggested that Go Negosyo could help improve agriculture and fisheries programs in schools. She also mentioned using school lands for teaching gardening and farming skills to students.

The DepEd chief proposed including entrepreneurship as part of after-school activities and starting this before the new curriculum begins. They also discussed training teachers to become entrepreneurship mentors.

Joey Concepcion said that it is the right time to teach high school students about entrepreneurship. With the help of social media and technology, more students can become entrepreneurs.