Techvoc schools offer to teach Grades 11, 12

MANILA, Philippines - Some 4,000 private technical vocational education and training (TVET) institutions have offered to teach tech-voc subjects to incoming senior high school (Grades 11 and 12) students in public schools under the K to 12 program.

Technical Vocational Schools and Associations of the Philippines (TEVSAPHIL) president Alejandro Escaño said their member-schools offered to provide the instructors and equipment to handle tech-voc subjects in public schools in their area under a “sub-contracting arrangement” with the Department of Education (DepEd).

Escaño, however, said they have yet to hear from DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro about a possible collaboration.

“We gave a proposal to Secretary Luistro where TEVSAPHIL will provide the trainers and equipment so they don’t have to spend any more,” he said.

“We have members in all provinces. For tech-voc courses, they can pass it on to the TVET school in the area.”

“I even made a better offer. I told Secretary Luistro that if DepEd can certify that the (arrangement) is under the Adopt-A-School program, I will get the private sector to fund it,” he added.

He said corporations will be more willing to support the arrangement since they can get tax break incentives.

There are 4,348 TVET institutions in the country, of which 4,472 are private while 124 are run by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

Luistro earlier announced they will start Grade 11 in June 2015, a year ahead of schedule.

The DepEd chief expects about 300,000 public school students who would finish fourth year high school (or Grade 10) in March 2015.

Grade 11 will be fully implemented in June 2016.

The tech-voc track in senior high school aims to give high school graduates better chances at employment if they will not proceed to college.

Government data showed about 20 to 25 percent of high school graduates go to college due to poverty. The majority either take tech-voc education, join the labor force or become part of the out-of-school youth.