The program will target 2,854 Child Development Workers with only high school diplomas, many of whom are already on the frontlines of nurturing young learners.
As part of the effort to elevate the quality of early childhood education across the Philippines, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is set to launch a new certification program that will benefit thousands of daycare workers.
The new National Certification III (NC III) in Early Childhood Education, scheduled for 2025, promises to enhance the skills of thousands of Child Development Workers (CDW), many of whom currently lack formal qualifications.
With the backing from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), the program aims to address the critical gaps in early childhood care and education (ECCE), a sector crucial to tackling the country’s deepening learning crisis.
“This new national certification is poised to enhance the quality of early childhood education in the country, and ultimately expand access to ECCD [early childhood care and development] in the country,” said Dr. Karol Mark Yee, executive director of EDCOM 2.
The program will target 2,854 CDWs with only high school diplomas, many of whom are already on the frontlines of nurturing young learners. By providing these workers with advanced training, the certification will professionalize the sector and empower daycare workers to provide higher-quality care and education to Filipino children.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, co-chair of EDCOM 2, lauded the initiative as a much-needed step toward upskilling the workforce.
“At present, we have around 68,000 child development workers in the country, but only 11,000 have completed high school,” he said.
The proposed scholarship program aligns with TESDA’s goal of workforce professionalization by encouraging the pursuit of higher-level certifications. EDCOM 2 has previously emphasized that advanced NC levels provide skills and competencies comparable to those of a college degree.