NegOr Biz Leader Pushes for Digital Education to Up Global Competitiveness

To improve the global competitiveness of future employees in Negros Oriental, business leader Edward Du pushed for the digitization of the basic education system in all public senior high schools in the region.

Du, who serves as the Regional Governor of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce in Central Visayas, underscored that digitization is the answer to address the mismatch between SHS students’ job skills and their employability. This, he said after reporting that only 10 out of 4,326 job openings were hired from a recent job fair in the region.

“This is a monumental mismatch because jobs are available yet applicants are going home jobless because they are deemed unqualified. With the rapid growth of technology in the country, digitization is the only way to bridge the gaps of the country,” he said during the recent partnership summit in Dumaguete City attended by over 100 representatives and leaders from the Department of Education (DepEd), the provincial government, the academe and business sector.

The activity, an initiative of Telstra Foundation Philippines and Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), in partnership with DepEd’s Regional Divisions and the business sector, aims to establish and strengthen industry and academe linkages and provide SHS students with better access to quality education.

The event also hopes to establish linkages for work immersion opportunities of SHS students, teacher training, and use of facilities and additional resources, as well as provides an avenue for private companies to support the educational sector’s goals in developing the country’s future workforce.

During the event, Du also called on the support of the business sector to be more involved in making digitization possible.

“Please help us in digital education because the future is Industry 4.0 There will be more online stores than malls and our students have to be ready for that,” he said.

BRIDGING THE GAPS IN PH SHS PROGRAM

The country’s Republic Act 10533, also known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, focuses on equipping the country’s students with the necessary knowledge, skills and experiences that will enable them to either pursue higher education, vocational and skills training, start a business or get employed after high school graduation.

To support this, PBSP and DepEd brought together different stakeholders involved in doing initiatives to achieve quality, accessible, relevant basic education for all Filipino students.

Elvin Ivan Uy, PBSP’s Director for Operations, stressed that the partnership summit is not just limited to DepEd, the local government units and NGOs only, but is more importantly an amalgamation of all sectors involved in advancing the country’s basic education system.

On the other hand, DepEd Assistant Regional Director for Region VII Mr. Salustiano Jimenez cited the importance of partnerships in realizing the great task of DepEd.

Other participants in the partnership summit include the DepEd’s regional divisions of Negros Oriental, Bayawan and Bais City. Representatives from TESDA, DOLE and BIR were also present to present each agency’s contribution to the SHS program’s implementation.

ACADEME–INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS

Industry partners present during the summit such as the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Siliman University, St. Paul University, Dumaguete Coconut Mills, Inc., and Philsouth Properties and Development Corporation, also committed to contribute to the SHS program by serving as technical business incubators for the students.

The event ended with a ceremonial signing of commitment from all partners to help improve the SHS program of Negros Oriental. The event also witnessed the signing of Memorandum of Understanding between all stakeholders with the divisions of Negros Oriental, Bayawan, and Bais.