Siaton
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Regional Director Salome Siaton of the Department of Labor and Employment cites the need to check the effectiveness of the K-12 program by monitoring the placement rate of senior high graduates.
Siaton urged the Labor Tripartite Council in Education (LTPE) in Central Visayas to look at the placement rate of senior high school graduates who opted for employment, instead of taking up a course in college.
“We know very well that Senior High does not guarantee employment but it does open up a lot of opportunities for students either for higher education, employment, or entrepreneurship,” she said in a statement.
According to Siaton, the labor department is interested in the placement rates of senior high school graduates who decided to work after graduation. She noted that this could be an eye-opener for all sectors involved on the effectiveness of the senior high school program.
The Department of Education (DepEd) had shifted from the 10-year basic education curriculum to the Kinder to 12 program (K-12) in phases starting 2011.
“Our concern here is to check on the skills available in the labor force vis a vis the skills requirements of the different industries especially those that are considered key employment generators in Central Visayas,” Siaton explained.
Siaton then called on the region’s LTCE to seriously look into the concern and see what the council could possibly do to help address the phenomenon of job-skills mismatch that is still haunting not only Region-7 but also the country as a whole.
The latest data from the National Economic and Development Authority in Central Visayas (Neda-7) found that construction, business process outsourcing and tourism are the three economic growth drivers in the region. These industries also emerged in the DOLE-7’s Project Jobsfit 2022 Report as key employment generators in the Central Visayas.
“It is very important to note if we have the right skills or the lack thereof while putting into consideration the requirements of the employers.” Siaton said.
The monitoring on the placement of Senior High graduates would help provide the right reference and guidance especially if there is a need to revisit the existing curriculum of our educational institutions, she added.
The LTCE is only one of the active Industry Tripartite Councils (ITCs) that is actively doing its share insofar as the sustenance of peaceful and favorable labor-management relations among establishments in Central Visayas in concerned./dcb