Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 4) — Senator Raffy Tulfo on Monday questioned why only 10% of senior high school (SHS) graduates in the country are accepted in jobs, citing data from the Department of Education.
During a hearing on enterprise-based education and training, Tulfo said the system discriminating against senior high school graduates needs to be addressed.
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“Sa classified advertisements na naghahanap ng employee, palaging, almost always must be college graduate,” Tulfo said. “Dini-disregard na agad yung mga graduate ng senior high. Even parang clerk typist lang, receptionist lang must be a college graduate.”
[Translation: In classified advertisements looking for employees, always, almost always must be a college graduate. Graduates of senior high are disregarded outright. Even if it’s just a clerk typist, just a receptionist – must be a college graduate.]
The senator said there must be a program that will encourage companies to hire SHS graduates.
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According to the Department of Labor and Employment Undersecretary Carmela Torres, out of the 9,000 job vacancies last year, only 116 SHS graduates were hired. They got jobs as cashiers, sales agents, and service crew.
Torres said most companies still look for applicants with a college degree.
Senate Basic Education Committee Chairman Sherwin Gatchalian, meanwhile, cited the lack of certification of SHS students who studied technical vocational courses as one of the reasons why they are struggling to find jobs.
