A SENATOR on Monday said that she has filed a bill seeking to modernize the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), citing the need to strengthen and restructure the agency.
“Our people must be equipped with the right skills to thrive in a rapidly changing world of work,” Senator Lorna Regina “Loren” B. Legarda said in a statement. “This bill will ensure that TESDA delivers high-quality and relevant training that helps Filipinos build better futures for themselves and their families.”
Senate Bill No. 1413, the TESDA Modernization bill, seeks to establish a Board of Advisers as a policy and oversight body. It would be composed of the Director General, Cabinet secretaries, the Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education, and private sector representatives.
The bill grants the Director General the authority to upgrade, merge, or phase out programs that no longer meet industry needs, under the Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system. It also grants the power to devolve community-based training to local government units.
“TESDA must evolve with industry standards. We have one of the most skilled and hardworking work forces in the world, and it is our responsibility to ensure that they remain employable, adaptable, and ready for the future,” she added.
The bill also seeks to reorganize the agency into specialized offices for planning, standards-setting, accreditation, enterprise-based education, and local skills development.
The proposed measure also seeks to implement alternative systems that would recognize prior learning, micro-credentials, and digital badges to validate informal or non-traditional training and promote lifelong learning.
Ms. Legarda said that her bill also seeks to strengthen the agency’s development fund and implement institutionalization of scholarship grants and systematic funding schemes such as levy-grant systems. — Adrian H. Halili
