Education and Research
From The Report: Philippines 2018
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The Philippines has started to make headway in edu¬cation thanks to policies that aim to expand access and improve quality. The need for human capital development has been the main impetus behind such educational reforms, as detailed in the cur¬rent administration’s Philippine Development Plan 2017-22. Despite notable gains, work remains, especially in terms of academic performance, the number of educational facilities and participation rates. To address these issues, the government has significantly increased education expenditure over the years, initiated structural changes in basic and higher education, and intensified partnerships with the private sector and industry. This chapter contains an interview with Fortunato T de la Peña, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Bright prospects: Substantial reforms have focused on improving student performance
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The Philippines has started to make headway in education thanks to policies that aim to expand access and improve quality. The need for human capital development has been the main impetus behind such educational reforms, as detailed in the current administration’s Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2017-22. Despite notable gains, work remains, especially in terms of academic performance, the number of educational facilities and participation rates. To address these issues, the government…

Analysis

The seeds of STEM: Initiatives at multiple levels look to strengthen tuition and outcomes in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
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Educational institutions in the Philippines are gradually recognising the relevance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in supporting innovation and driving future economic growth. In a bid to increase the number of graduates who enrol in science and mathematics-related courses at the tertiary level, the K-12 programme now provides senior high school students with an option to pursue STEM-related fields through the academic track. To this end, significant…

Interview

Facilitating the future: Fortunato T de la Peña, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, on the role of digitalisation in commerce and tourism
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Interview:Fortunato T de la Peña How can the Philippines ensure its workforce is prepared for the opportunities and challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR)? FORTUNATO DE LA PEÑA: There are more than 140,000 engineering and IT graduates per year, and the approach of the 4IR will present them with ample opportunities. While many of these graduates are currently employed by the business process outsourcing sector, they can readily switch to robotics, automation, data science and…

Analysis

New agenda: Policymakers look to promote innovation in key industries
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The government has been investing heavily in higher education institutions (HEIs) and innovation activities in key industries, expanding the collaboration between academia, industry and government, as well as developing research and development (R&D) projects in different provinces around the country. Though funding for innovation falls short of global standards – amounting to 0.14% of GDP against UNESCO recommendations of at least 1% – between 2009 and 2013 R&D spending rose…

Overview

On the Job: Development and promotion of technical and vocational training: key to improving employment rates
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Although priorities vary when it comes to economic development, the increasing need for skilled labour is both a cause of and a requirement for accelerated growth that spans markets and continents. This demand for technical specialists from Mexico to Indonesia is often most concentrated in the sectors that are vital to economic advancement, including infrastructure, oil and gas exploration and extraction, and value-add processes for agricultural commodities. Efforts to expand this expertise locally, rather than relying solely on international organisations or expatriate leadership, have come to the fore in recent years, both as part of…

Overview

On the Job: Development and promotion of technical and vocational training: key to improving employment rates
OBG
plus

Although priorities vary when it comes to economic development, the increasing need for skilled labour is both a cause of and a requirement for accelerated growth that spans markets and continents. This demand for technical specialists from Mexico to Indonesia is often most concentrated in the sectors that are vital to economic advancement, including infrastructure, oil and gas exploration and extraction, and value-add processes for agricultural commodities. Efforts to expand this expertise locally, rather than relying solely on international organisations or expatriate leadership, have come to the fore in recent years, both as part of…