Senator Win Gatchalian hailed the signing of the Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) Framework Act (Republic Act No. 12063), a landmark law that he says will boost the job readiness of technical-vocational education and training (TVET or tech-voc) graduates.
The law, which Gatchalian co-authored, institutionalizes the EBET framework. An EBET Program refers to tech-voc training delivered by enterprises, which refer to private individuals, partnerships, corporations, or entities. The law also seeks to strengthen, rationalize, and harmonize programs, such as apprenticeship, learnership, and the dual training system under a competency-based and industry-driven EBET framework.
“Sa pagpapatatag at pagpapalawak natin ng enterprise-based training, mapapaigting natin ang kakayahan at kahandaan ng ating mga kababayan na makapagtrabaho. Malaking hakbang ito upang matugunan ang jobs-skills mismatch na nararanasan ng ating mga TVET graduates,” said Gatchalian, Co-Chairperson of EDCOM II.
The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) II flagged that despite their efficacy in providing skills and guaranteeing superior labor market outcomes, enterprise-based training and apprenticeship programs remain the least popular modality in TVET. The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) previously targeted to increase the share of enterprise-based training from 4% in 2016 to 40% in 2022. In 2022, however, enterprise-based trainees only accounted for 9% of total TVET enrollment.
An Asian Development Bank study on TVET pointed out that because some skills may be irrelevant because of rapid technological change, enterprise-based training offers an edge because it is aligned with rapidly evolving workplace and workshop needs.
The law also mandates sectors with recognized industry boards to develop and recommend EBET Programs for their respective industries, for the approval and adoption of the TESDA. The TESDA shall then approve the EBET programs, as recommended, not later than 30 days from submission. Gatchalian also emphasized that under the law, enterprises are mandated to ensure the safety and security of trainees pursuant to the Safe Spaces Act.
