Education
From The Report: The Philippines 2016
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Having been the only country in South-east Asia providing just 10 years of basic education to its population, the Philippines is working to join its neighbors and implement a K-12 system in 2016. Though the administration of President Benigno Aquino III is providing the Department of Education with more funding to aid the realization of this task, the challenge of doing so over a short transition period is unquestionable. The growing role of the private sector in providing educational services is crucial, with greater opportunities on the horizon and the government taking slow but steady steps to define them. Continuing reform is set to further integrate and incentivise private sector participation, as is happening in sectors like infrastructure and health care. Elsewhere, the challenges of access and quality remain, which the government continues to address through a host of pragmatic initiatives. This chapter contains an interview with Irene Isaac, Director-General, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Education finds its feet: Major reforms are rolling out and transforming the sector
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Considered by many to be the oldest surviving university both in the Philippines and in Asia, the institution that today we call the University of Santo Tomas (UST) was founded in 1611 by the Dominicans as the Colegio de Nuestro Señora del Santisimo Rosario. It was renamed La Real y Pontificia Universidad de Santo Tomas de Aquino Universidad Catolica de Filipinas by Pope Innocent X in 1645. Today it is one of the country’s top 10 universities. UST’s lengthy and storied history is emblematic…

Interview

New curriculum: OBG talks to Irene Isaac, Director-General, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)
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Interview:Irene Isaac How can the technical vocational component complement basic education curricula? IRENE ISAAC: The Philippines has always exhibited a strong preference towards higher education, with all parents wanting their children to get a professional degree from a college or university. To reverse this bias, there is a move to promote education as a lifelong endeavour. When the K+12 project was conceptualised, it had a technical-vocational education (tech-voc) track for senior high…

Analysis

Training for the future: Digital literacy is at the centre of the national education agenda
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In the information age, digital literacy has been recognised is a key factor in economic development. These skills can be a critical issue when it comes to educational attainment and obtaining employment. Providing access to digital skills training can also be a powerful means by which to improve people’s lives, especially the poor and marginalised – a fact that President Benigno Aquino III acknowledged in an October 2012 speech in which he encouraged the IT and business process outsourcing (IT-BPO)…