THE Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday said it aims to have more enrollees for its Technical Professional (TechPro) track than in the Academic track to help address shortages of skilled workers across industries.
“We hope that someday there’s going to be more students enrolled in the TechPro track than the Academic track,” DepEd Central Office – Bureau of Curriculum Development Director IV Peter Marc D. Magsalin told BusinessWorld in an interview.
“Historically the enrollment in the Academic track has always been higher but we hope to see it reverse in the coming years,” he added.
Through the TechPro track, the department plans to produce more skilled senior high school (SHS) graduates to start their careers in industries facing a worker shortage.
“If you look at the different industry sectors… there are millions of jobs available but sadly, there are very few takers,” the DepEd official said. “Sadly, very few of our SHS graduates can enter that pipeline.”
“The industry gives a lot of preference to college students to get accepted into the workforce, but in fact, many of those jobs can actually be done by senior high school students,” he added.
Under the new SHS curriculum, DepEd has reduced the four-track structure into two primary educational pathways: the Academic Track and the TechPro Track.
“The idea is whether you take the Academic track, or you take the TechPro track, you should be able to take any course in college, regardless of your preference,” Mr. Magsalin said.
The Education department also cut the core subjects to five from 15 and allowed students to choose electives from clusters aligned with their interests and career plans.
The TechPro track has ten initial clusters, while the Academic Track has four.
“We’re taking a TechPro track preference mainly because we want them to see that TechPro is not a dead end in itself,” Mr. Magsalin said.
“It’s not for students who struggle in academics, but it is for students who are interested in entering the workforce immediately after high school,” he added.
Citing the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) assessment, Mr. Magsalin noted that the department foresees six in-demand electives under TechPro — advanced manufacturing, digital technology, finance, tourism, healthcare, and creative enterprise.
“These are the sectors which we feel will grow tremendously and will be in much need of skilled and competent workers in the next, perhaps five to ten years,” he said. — Almira Louise S. Martinez