THE Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) is urging technical-vocational (tech-voc) schools and institutions in the country to “shape up” or face possible closure. Tesda Director General Joel Villanueva issued his warning on Sunday after revealing the agency’s plan to run after “bogus” and “below standard” tech-voc schools and institutions.
“It makes sense that we are the DepEd [Department of Education] or CHED [Commission on Higher Education] of tech-voc schools and institutions. We should exercise our power to shut down bogus schools and even tech-voc schools teaching below standard programs,” he said.
“We will closely coordinate with the local government units as well as the association of tech-voc institutions [TVIs] to run after these schools. I have already met with many TVIs and they said they will support us in this program,” Villanueva added.
The Tesda head lamented that there are tech-voc schools and institutions that have training modules that do not measure up to the standard and the end-result is the production of graduates who are not competitive enough to secure employment.
He added there are tech-voc schools and institutions that charge exorbitant tuition despite having “average” training modules.
Villanueva, however, declined to mention the names of the tech-voc schools and institutions who face possible closure, pending the completion of their analysis and assessment.
“Our goal is to produce quality, globally competitive graduates; to make sure that our tech-voc graduates will be employed whether here or abroad after their trainings. [And] that we have to take action against these kinds of tech-voc schools and institutions and close them down,” he stressed.
“We will pursue this path and we will be ready to defend our agency for this effort. Besides, who will look after the welfare of our kawawang [pitiful] tech-voc students?” the Tesda head added.
FRANCIS EARL A. CUETO
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