/PNA
MANILA — Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Secretary Isidro Lapeña wants more industry partners in the regions who will help implement the dual training system (DTS), an executive said on Friday.
Chief TESDA specialist Floramel Joy Songsong said Lapeña’s instruction came after visiting a partner firm in Tarlac last week.
Lapeña, along with Songsong and other TESDA officials, visited the International Wiring System Phils. (IWSP), TESDA’s partner in implementing the DTS since 2015.
“IWSP was the first industry partner that Secretary Lapeña was able to visit. So from there, he was inspired and wanted to replicate that kind of partnership in the regions,” Songsong told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
She noted that the DTS Law has been in effect for almost 25 years now.
“However, there are only a few companies that implement this. That’s why we are really pushing for it,” she added.
As of October 2018, only 365 establishments were implementing the DTS across the country, Songsong said.
“TESDA encourages firms and hopes to partner with more companies in the implementation of the DTS because this (training method) brings better chances of employment,” she said. “The employability is higher because the partner companies are involved in the DTS training plan. This means the trainees learn the industry requirements.”
She added that since DTS trainees do in-house training in partner firms, they become a priority in hiring.
Earlier, the TESDA Board approved the revised DTS implementing rules and regulations last month.
Among the amendments are: the normal number of hours in the training regulation shall be the minimum duration of training (40 percent in school, 60 percent in the company); training allowance of at least 75 percent of the minimum wage will be given in full to the trainees; and that DTS shall be included in the scholarship programs.
