(File photo)
QUEZON CITY, (PIA) — The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will be receiving an allocation of P15.2 billion out of the proposed P5.768 trillion national budget for 2024 for the implementation of retraining, reskilling, and retooling programs aimed at elevating the qualifications of the Filipino workforce.
“Access to quality education will also be at the forefront of the government’s education agenda through the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education (UAQTE),” Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman specified, expressing the initiative of the national government to invest in the development of human capital by providing for the equitable access to quality education.
Of the total allocated budget for TESDA-led initiatives, P3.4 billion will go to the Free Technical-Vocational Education and Training program which is targeting to benefit around 38,179 enrollees and 10,126 graduates.
A sum of P200 million has also been set aside to aid in the training fees and allowances of 9,708 students and 8,737 graduates through the Private Educational Student Financial Assistance (PESFA).
Meanwhile, the TESDA’s Supporting Innovation in the Philippine Technical and Vocational Education and Training System (SIPTVETS) initiative will be allotted P1.8 billion to pave the way for the modernization of technical-vocational programs.
The SIPTVETS is designed to build the capacity of the Filipino workforce to keep pace with the globalized and technology-driven labor market in terms of skills enhancement while advancing the expertise of training providers to cultivate competitive competencies.
In addition, the DBM has allocated P3.2 billion to finance the Training for Work Scholarship Program which will be directed towards the targeted employability skills training of 147,990 students with a projected graduation rate of 90% or 133,191.
To extend employment opportunities in the formal sector, on the other hand, an allocation of P1.3 billion will be given to the Special Training for Employment Program of TESDA that seeks to provide expert training, allowance stipends, and starter toolkits to 47,664 prospective beneficiaries and 42,897 anticipated program graduates.
Moreover, the Tulong Trabaho Scholarship initiative is set to receive P1 billion for the provision of Selected Training Programs (STPs) among 48,653 expected enrollees and 43,787 potential graduates.
The said program is pursuant to Republic Act No. 11230 which institutionalizes the alignment of the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system with industry-specific demands in an effort to address unemployment.
It can be recalled that in his budget message, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. highlighted the need to ensure that the workers possess the pivotal skills needed by priority industries towards improving the overall employment situation in the country.
“By implementing targeted programs and initiatives, we can bridge the gap between job requirements and workers’ skills by equipping them with the necessary expertise to thrive in evolving industries,” said the President. (DBM/PIA-NCR)
