Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 1) — Vice President Sara Duterte on Labor Day said the Department of Education (DepEd) will train Filipino youth so they can attract more decent and quality work.
“Sa susunod na limang taon, sisikapin ng Kagawaran ng Edukasyon na bumuo ng matibay na pundasyon ng kaalaman at kasanayan para maging handa sa hinaharap ang ating kabataang Pilipino at makaakit ng mas dekalidad at disenteng trabaho,” Duterte, who is concurrently the education secretary, said in her statement.
[Translation: In the next five years, the Department of Education will try to create a strong foundation of knowledge and skills to prepare the Filipino youth for the future so they could attract better quality and decent jobs.]
The DepEd recently released the final draft of its Kinder to Grade 10 curriculum guides and is gathering feedback from the public before launching it within the year.
Its review for Grades 11 and 12 is still ongoing, targeting to finish the review of the program by June 2023, in a bid to revise the program.
RELATED: DepEd given one year to complete K to 12 review
\”The ongoing review of the K-12 curriculum has revealed that the curriculum content is congested, that some prerequisites of identified essential learning competencies are missing or misplaced, and that a significant number of learning competencies cater to high cognitive demands,\” Duterte said in January.
RELATED: Duterte lists basic education ills, lays reform agenda
In April, the Commission on Human Rights reported that fresh graduates in the country “tend to lack soft skills” and “lack job readiness,” which alarmed senators.
READ: Senators express alarm over CHR report on fresh grads’ ‘lack of job readiness’
In her Labor Day statement, Duterte said she recognizes and honors the sacrifices made by Filipino workers.
She also said the Marcos administration stands in solidarity with workers and supports their rights while seeking ways to boost the employability of the Filipino workforce.
\”I enjoin everyone to advocate a work culture that values mental health and well-being along with better wages, safer and healthier working spaces, gender-responsive policies, creative strategies that support working mothers, single parents, and working students, better career growth opportunities, and personal work fulfillment for all Filipinos,\” the vice president said.
\”Salamat sa lahat ng ating manggagawang Pilipino. Kasama ninyo kaming naninindigan sa pag-asang matupad natin ang ating pangarap na isang progresibo, inklusibo at matatag na Pilipinas,\” she added.
[Translation: We thank all Filipino workers. We join you in believing that our dream of a progressive, inclusive, and stable Philippines will be achieved.]
According to government estimates, unemployed Filipinos reached 2.47 million in February or equivalent to a national unemployment rate of 4.8%.
The employment rate stood at 95.2%, with 48.8 million employed people.
