- DepEd reaffirmed its push for Filipino youth employability through skills development at the 12th PQF-NCC meeting, approving 22 new plantilla items and sectoral priorities.
- Key sectors identified for focus include semiconductors, manufacturing, tourism, maritime, agriculture, and entrepreneurship, with collaboration from public and private stakeholders.
- A new TWG will simplify the PQF framework and ease transitions across education and labor markets, while DepEd partners with DAP to establish a permanent PQF secretariat.
The Department of Education (DepEd) is committed to enhance the employability of Filipino workers through lifelong learning and more competitive building of skills by Filipino youth and students. This as DepEd just held the 12th Philippine Qualifications Framework National Coordinating Council meeting at Bulwagan ng Karunungan where members deliberated and adopted the PQF-NCC response letter with regard to the establishment of 22 new plantilla items.
The DepEd says that the Council decided to adopt the screening and selection as outlined in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the PQF Act in selecting representatives from the industry and economic sectors. Further, a technical working group shall be established to determine the priority sectors involving Council members and mandated agencies with government development plans.
In collaboration with private sector partners, an initial set of priority sectors was identified as semiconductors and electronics, manufacturing, tourism and hospitality, maritime, agriculture, and entrepreneurship. DepEd also stated that the Council established another TWG to make certain the PQF framework becomes simpler in terms of understanding and application as well as facilitates people getting from one education sector to another and from the national and global labor markets easily and easily.
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In addition, the DepEd shall coordinate with the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) for the setting up of a permanent secretariat, to be headed by an Executive Director V of the rank of an Undersecretary.
The aforementioned meeting was joined by PQF-NCC member agency representatives: the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
DAP officials, Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) II officials, and the U.S.-Philippines Partnership for Skills, Innovation, and Lifelong Learning (UPSKILL) Program officials were also in attendance during the meeting.
