Brief History of TESDA

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) was established through the enactment of Republic Act No. 7796 otherwise known as the "Technical Education and Skills Development Act of 1994", which was signed into law by President Fidel V. Ramos on August 25, 1994. This Act aims to encourage the full participation of and mobilize the industry, labor, local government units and technical-vocational institutions in the skills development of the country's human resources.

The merging of the National Manpower and Youth Council (NMYC) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). The Bureau of Technical and Vocational Education (BTVE) of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), and The Apprenticeship Program of the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) of the DOLE gave birth to TESDA.

The fusion of the above offices was one of the key recommendations of the 1991 Report of the Congressional Commission on Education, which undertook a national review of the state of Philippine education and manpower development. It was meant to reduce overlapping in skills development activities initiated by various public and private sector agencies, and to provide national directions for the country's technical-vocational education and training (TVET) system. Hence, a major thrust of TESDA is the formulation of a comprehensive development plan for middle-level manpower based on the National Technical Education and Skills Development Plan. This plan shall provide for a reformed industry-based training program that includes apprenticeship, dual training system and other similar schemes.

TESDA is mandated to:

1. Integrate, coordinate and monitor skills development programs;2. Restructure efforts to promote and develop middle-level manpower;3. Approve skills standards and tests;4. Develop an accreditation system for institutions involved in middle-level

manpower development;5. Fund programs and projects for technical education and skills development; and6. Assist trainers training programs.

At the same time, TESDA is expected to:

Devolve training functions to local governments; Reform the apprenticeship program; Involve industry/employers in skills training; Formulate a skills development plan; Develop and administer training incentives; Organize skills competitions; and

Manage skills development funds.

Overall, TESDA formulates manpower and skills plans, sets appropriate skills standards and tests, coordinates and monitors manpower policies and programs, and provides policy directions and guidelines for resource allocation for the TVET institutions in both the private and public sectors.

Today, TESDA has evolved into an organization that is responsive, effective and efficient in delivering myriad services to its clients. To accomplish its multi-pronged mission, the TESDA Board has been formulating strategies and programs geared towards yielding the highest impact on manpower development in various areas, industry sectors and institutions.

Mission, Vision, Value and Quality Statement

MandateThe Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is the government agency tasked to manage and supervise technical education and skills development (TESD) in the Philippines. It was created by virtue of Republic Act 7796, otherwise known as the “Technical Education and Skills Development Act of 1994”. The said Act integrated the functions of the former National Manpower and Youth Council (NMYC), the Bureau of Technical-Vocational Education of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (BTVE-DECS) and the Office of Apprenticeship of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

VisionTESDA is the leading partner in the development of the Filipino workforce with world-class competence and positive work values.

MissionTESDA provides direction, policies, programs and standards towards quality technical education and skill development.

Values StatementWe believe in demonstrated competence, institutional integrity, personal commitment and deep sense of nationalism.

Quality Policy "We measure our worth by the satisfaction of the customers we serve"

Through:

Strategic DecisionsEffectivenessResponsivenessValue AddingIntegrityCitizen focusEfficiency

Direction Setting

Crucial to TESDA's role as the TVET authority in the country is its capacity to steer and provide guidance to the sector. With the end in view of setting out clear directions and establishing priorities, the availability of timely, relevant and accurate information is of essence. Data gathered through the conduct of researchers and studies shall be desseminated to enable the TVET stakeholders to make informed decisions. With quality information, TVET policies and plans shall be formulated that will serve as the blueprint for TVET implementation in the country.

Policies, Plans and Information

Programs and services relating to these concern embody the role of TESDA as the authority in technical vocational education and training (TVET). These are aimed at providing clear directions and priorities for TVET in the country. These include the formulation of plans and policies for the TVET sector and the generation through researches and studies and the dissemination of relevant data and information for informed decision of stakeholders of the sector.

National Technical Education Skills Development (TESD) Plan National Technical Education Skills Development (TESD) Agency Philippine Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) System Philippine Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Outlook Labor Market Intelligence Reports List of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Studies Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Statistics

Pro-active Job Matching Process

TESDA shall SEEK (jobs) through domestic and international market intelligence report to pinpoint specific job requirements. TESDA shall FIND (people) the right people who can be trained to fit the jobs in partnership with NGOs, social welfare agencies / institutions, school

and community organizations. TESDA shal TRAIN (people) using standards of quality for TVET developed in consultation with various industry sectors. This pro-active matching process contributes to the best job-skills fit. TESDA also focuses on increasing productivity of implemented training programs by assisting individuals or groups who prefer to go into micro business, small and medium enterprises of enterprenuership training.

 Standards Setting and Systems Development

Another pillar towards the realization of TESDA's authority role in the TVET sector is to ensure quality through the provision of standards and system development services. Competency assessment and certification of workers is continuously done in pursuit of professionalizing skilled workers.

Compentency Standards Development Competency Assessment and Certification Unified TVET Program Registration and Accreditation System Ladderized Education Program Skills Competitions

Support to TVET Provision

In view to the need to provide equitable access and provision of TESD programs to the growing TVET clients, TESDA continues to undertake direct training provision. There are four training modalities - school-based, center-based, enterprise-based and community-based. These are being done with the TESDA's infrastructure in place - 57 administered schools, 60 training centers, enterprise-based training through DTS/Apprenticeship and community-based training in convergence with the LGUs.

School Based Programs Center Based Programs Community Based Programs Enterprise Based Programs TESDA Language Skills Institutes Scholarship and Student Assistance Programs Career Guidance and Placement Programs

Institutional Capacity Building

For TESDA to provide the required services and live up to its core business, it must muster internal capacity and capability. It is necessary to build its competencies along various requirements of its responsibilities in direction setting, standards setting and systems development and in supporting TVET provision. Institutional capacity building also involves the installation of the TESDA quality management system at all levels of

the organization.

Foreign Scholarship Training Program

Executive Order 402 issued on January 24, 2005 transferred the administration of scholarship and training programs sourced from Official Development Assistance from the National Economic Development Authority to the following:

Department of Education (DepEd) for short term non-degree teacher training courses for elementary and programs aimed at enhancing the teaching and professional competencies of teachers, educational managers, and non-teaching personnel:

Technical Education and Skills Development Authority(TESDA) for short term non-degree courses which refer to programs other "basic education and degree courses" designed to supplement / fulfill specific competency requirements of employees and

Commission on Higher Education(CHED) for baccalaureate and post baccalaureate programs, and related certificate / diploma courses.

 

The Foreign Scholarship and Training Program at TESDA

With the issuance of EO 402, TESDA has since 2007 been coordinating the requirements for short term, non-degree courses offered by donor countries and organizations, Related to this, it established the Foreign Scholarship and Training Program Unit (FSTP U) and created the National Screening Committee(NSC).

The FSTPU:

Coordinates the requirements of donor / sponsoring countries and agencies with relevant government departments / agencies and institutions and non-governmental organizations.

Administers and facilitates the processing of nominee requirements from program dissemination and invitation, document evaluation to nominee endorsement.

Provides Secretariat function to the NSC.

Recommends policies and guidelines relative to the FSTP implementation.

 

The NSC:

Reviews and deliberates on the nominations made.

Conducts interviews of the nominees.

Recommends the nominees to be endorsed to donor countries and agencies.

 

Sponsoring / Donor Countries / Agencies

 

Australia, Belgium, Federal Republic of Germany,India (Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation), Indonesia (Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries), Israel, Italy, Japan (Japan International Cooperation Agency), Malaysia (Malaysia Technical Cooperation Program), New Zealand, Pakistan, Royal Kingdom of The Netherlands (Netherlands Fellowship Program), Singapore (Singapore Cooperation Program Awards), Spain (Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation), Sweden (Sweden International Development Assistance), Switzerland, Thailand (Thailand Intrernational Cooperation Agency) 

Special Programs

 United Nations (United Nations Development Program), Colombo Plan, World Trade Organization, JETRO-IDEAS, TESDA's free tech-voc training targetting poor Mindanao students

TESDA’s programs and projects are implemented through TESDA – Main and its 216 operating units listed in the table below.

TESDA Operating Units No.

Regional Offices 16

Provincial Offices 74

District Offices 6

Regional Training Centers 16

Provincial Training Centers 47

Technical Vocational Schools 57

Total 216

TESDA has administered three foreign-assisted projects with funds derived

from foreign loans and counterpart local financing, namely:

a. Technical Education and Skills Development Project (TESDP);

b. Expanded Dual Education Training Project (EDETP); and

c. Development of Centers of Excellence in Modern Manufacturing

Technology Project (CEMMT).

TESDA maintains a Revolving Fund under its Sariling Sikap Project (SSP)

which was authorized under Executive Order No. 939 dated March 2, 1984.

The TESDA-Main maintains five books of accounts for General Fund, TESDP,

EDETP, CEMMT and SSP Revolving Fund. Also, all Regional, Provincial, Technical

Vocational Institutions and District Offices, three Regional Training Centers namely

RTC-Talisay, RTC-Tacloban and RTC-Iligan, also maintain each separate set of books

of accounts.

Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship is the arrangement and the period when an upcoming worker undergoes hands-on training, more or less formal, to learn the ropes of a skilled job. It is an entry point to the world of work.

Under Department Order No. 8 Series 1989, issued March 9, 1989, the policy of the Department of Labor and Employment is to:

a. Obtain the voluntary adoption of apprenticeship programs by the employers and workers to help meet the increasing demand for skilled manpower necessary for economic development and;

b. Increase worker productivity through a relevant and effective apprenticeship program.

TESDA implements the apprenticeship program under Sec. 18 of TESDA Act of 1994.

The following are the requisites for employment of apprenticeship:

a. The employer should be engaged in a business that is considered a highly technical industry. A highly technical industry is a trade, business, enterprise, industry, or other activity which utilizes the application of advanced technology.

b. The job to which the apprentice will work on should be classified as apprenticeable occupation.

The apprenticeable age is fourteen (14)years but RA 7658 expicitly prohibits employment of children below fifteen (15) years of age.

Citing a case Filamer vs CA,

Sec. 14. Working scholars. — There is no employer-employee relationship between students on the one hand, and schools, colleges or universities on the other, where students work for the latter in exchange for the privilege to study free of charge; provided the students are given real opportunity, including such facilities as may be reasonable, necessary to finish their chosen court under such arrangement. (Emphasis supplied).

The wording of Section 14 is clear and explicit and leaves no room for equivocation. To dismiss the implementing rule as one which governs only the "personal relationship" between the school and its students and not where there is already a third person involved, as espoused by private respondents, is to read into the law something that was not legislated there in the first place. The provision of Section 14 is obviously intended to eliminate an erstwhile gray area in labor relations and seeks to define in categorical terms the precise status of working scholars in relation to the learning institutions in which they work for the privilege of a free education.

References:

http://www.tesda.gov.ph/

Art. 43-60 Labor Code

http://www.lawphil.net/judjuris/juri1990/oct1990/gr_75112_1990.html

The Labor Code by C.A. Azucena p.147-148