PH hosts 1st BIMP-EAGA TVET Forum

July 19, 2016
The Philippines recently hosted the 1st Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) technical vocational education and training (TVET) forum aimed at boosting tech-voc education in the region.
 
The forum facilitated open exchanges of ideas on how to further strengthen collaboration and cooperation among major players in the TVET sector in BIMP-EAGA, according to Secretary Guiling Mamondiong, Director General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
 
TESDA organized the forum with the Mindanao Development Authority, along with the assistance of the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Associations in Mindanao and Palawan, and the BIMP-EAGA Socio-Cultural and Education Cluster (SCE). 
 
The two-day event was held on July 18 - 19 at the Regional Training Center - Korea Philippines Vocational Training Center in Davao City.
 
“We cannot emphasize enough the need to have skilled and globally-competitive workers in the country’s economic development,” Mamondiong said.
 
“We hope this forum will lead to identifying programs that would further hone their competencies, and at the same time, open avenues for employment opportunities for the tech-voc graduates in the country and within the BIMP-EAGA,” he added.
 
BIMP-EAGA continues to show steady rise in gross domestic product growth, tourism and trade and investment.
 
The forum provided a venue to share, elevate and discuss emerging development in tech-voc education in the region; discuss issues and challenges influencing TVET and reach mutual agreements; share best practices which could be benchmarked by others; and, establish and strengthen linkage and network among the participants.
 
After the forum, the participating countries hopes to adopt incubation centers as BIMP-EAGA Centers of Excellence; create a network among TVET providers in the growth area through the establishment of a directory of TVET providers; and, to hold initial discussions on Mutual Recognition Arrangements among BIMP-EAGA member countries.
 
Around 100 participants composed of managers, administrators and TVET providers, and key officials of government agencies involved in the provision of tech-voc education gathered for the event.