The Department of Education (DepEd) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) signed a memorandum of agreement to formalize and strengthen their collaboration in delivering high-quality, technical-vocational education in senior high school (SHS).
The primary objective of the agreement is to ensure that the SHS Technical Professional (TechPro) track complies with Tesda training regulations, and that DepEd teachers possess the requisite competencies and certifications to effectively deliver the technical-vocational courses.
By aligning institutional processes, resources, and standards, the collaboration seeks to ensure the consistent delivery of quality-assured curricula by qualified educators, ultimately supporting the development of students’ foundational and technical skills. This will enhance their employability and facilitate a seamless transition to further education, training, or employment.
Flexible options
Under the agreement, DepEd is responsible for identifying and endorsing SHS TechPro teachers for enrollment in Tesda’s Trainers Methodology I (TM1) programs, as well as those that need updating in their qualifications. The department will also develop learning resources in consultation with Tesda, monitor the implementation of the curricula, and ensure that SHS learners undergo assessment for national certification.
For its part, Tesda will offer flexible access to training courses for teachers, including online and in-person options for DepEd teachers. Tesda will provide crucial technical assistance to align DepEd’s curricula with its official Training Regulations, ensuring that learners acquire industry-aligned skills.
The agreement, signed by Education Secretary Sonny Angara and Tesda Director General Kiko Benitez aims to ensure the work readiness and global competitiveness of Filipino graduates.
‘Our goal has always been to ensure that every Senior High School graduate is equipped not just with knowledge, but with real-world skills. This partnership with Tesda is a critical step in fulfilling that promise,’ Angara said. Benitez recognized Tesda role in the partnership ‘to ensure that the skills being taught are the skills that industries actually need. By embedding our Training Regulations and certification processes directly into the Senior High School system, we are creating a seamless pathway for students from education to employment. This collaboration carves the path for industries to have a pipeline of skilled talent ready to contribute from Day One.’
Long-standing mismatch
The partnership addresses the longstanding need to resolve the mismatch between DepEd’s SHS programs and Tesda’s guidelines. Recommendations by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) have consistently emphasized the need for alignment between DepEd’s and Tesda’s programs, including its push to increase funding for the assessment of SHS-TVL graduates.
Findings in the EDCOM 2 Year Two Report showed that, while about 53.9 percent of SHS graduates pursue higher education, a significant number enter the workforce in private establishments or informal employment.
This is further supported by a 2023 report of the Philippine Institute of Development Studies which found that children induced to attend SHS tend to earn higher wages and are more likely to be employed in middle-skill jobs compared with junior high school graduates.
DepEd and Tesda agree to undertake joint monitoring of SHS-TechPro programs offered in DepEd schools, as well as to map public and private technical vocational institutions, with the aim of strategically expanding the Joint Delivery Voucher Program (JDVP) to enable students to pursue a wider range of technical-vocational electives.
The two agencies also commit to engaging with industry stakeholders to ensure curriculum relevance and provide valuable work immersion opportunities for students. The agreement will be effective for a period of three years upon signing, with DepEd and Tesda working towards enhancing technical-vocational offerings under the SHS pilot come June 2026.