Gatchalian proposes free national certifications to enhance job readiness for SHS grads
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has called on the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to enhance job readiness for senior high school (SHS) graduates.
This appeal follows TESDA’s recent 30th anniversary celebration and highlights the urgent need to improve employment opportunities for these graduates.
Gatchalian received the Special Kabalikat Award from TESDA for his support of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the Philippines.
He has proposed funding for TESDA’s Free National Certification Assessment Program under the 2024 national budget.
This program aims to provide free competency assessments and national certifications to SHS learners in the technical-vocational-livelihood (TVL) track.
The 2024 national budget allocates P438 million for TESDA to conduct these assessments, which are expected to benefit approximately 420,967 SHS graduates.
Currently, the cost of assessments is about P1,008.29 per student, which has contributed to a low certification rate among SHS-TVL graduates.
In the 2019-2020 school year, only 127,796, or 26.3%, of SHS-TVL graduates took the assessment. However, 98% of those passed and received their national certifications.
The overall certification rate fell to just 6.8% in the 2020-2021 school year.
To further support this initiative, Gatchalian has proposed an additional P50 million in the 2024 budget to expand TESDA’s pool of assessors.
This expansion will ensure that TESDA can effectively implement the free assessment and certification program.
“Nagpapasalamat ako sa TESDA dahil katuwang natin sila upang gawing libre ang assessment at national certification para sa ating mga senior high school graduates sa TVL track,” Gatchalian said.
[“I am grateful to TESDA because they are our partners in providing free assessment and national certification for our senior high school graduates in the TVL track.”]
He emphasized the importance of reforms to strengthen TVET and prepare graduates for success in their chosen fields.
Gatchalian aims to institutionalize free assessments and certifications for SHS graduates through his Batang Magaling Act (Senate Bill No. 2367).
By improving job readiness, he hopes to help graduates secure quality employment and reduce the number of those working in low-wage jobs.
Currently, 50% of SHS-TVL graduates who joined the labor force are employed in elementary occupations, such as cleaners and vendors.
