Striving.. Adapting… Moving On.. Thriving..
by: Marycel C. Engracia
The Corona Virus (COVID-19) certainly hit the TVET Institutions and like other schools and business entities, caught them off-guard, as well. Suddenly, the quarantines or lockdowns changed the landscape of TVET in the Philippines and many private tech-voc institutions found themselves either in a dying mode or a striving mode. While a few resulted to the blaming game (blaming TESDA for the absence of scholarships for the private sector), some others continuously asked what needs to be done to keep their heads floating above the waters and keep them from drowning. But a large majority kept their ground, quickly re-strategized, and adapted to the demands of the so-called new normal. A number of TVET Institutions simply folded up, gave up, and closed shop.
Striving (to achieve the goals of TVET)
The resiliency of the Filipinos matches well with the resiliency of the private technical-vocational institutions. The fact that technical-vocational education and training and skills development is necessary (a must!) for human resource development, TVET Institutions know that the continuity of training and learning, cannot be simply ignored. Thus, armed with resiliency, they continue to strive and get back to re-start the buttons for a new TVET. Resiliency perhaps is a gift, because not all have it or have received it. The ability to recover quickly from losses and downfalls and being tough and strong about it, is not a joke nor is it something that everyone naturally have. But for the TVET sector whose business is to develop the middle-level skills, resiliency perhaps is a part of the whole gamut of TVET. The pandemic is now and yes, we can stop skills training for a while but.. what about tomorrow? The skills of tomorrow must be prepared now to prevent critical shortages after the disruption.
Adapting (the “New Normal”)
Adapt to the “new normal,” so goes everyone saying that. But what is the new normal in TVET? It’s one that is difficult to describe for now. Other than the health and safety protocols during pandemic that must now be installed and implemented in TVET Institutions, flexible learning consisting of online or e-learning, distance learning, plus blended learning (combination of face-to-face and online) have now become the new milieu for TVET. Others may call this the new normal yet others say that they have already been doing blended and flexible even before COVID-19 came. Whichever side you’re on, what is important is that we Rise Up and set a new tone for TVET so that skills training don’t stop.
Moving On.. (towards Quality TVET)
As the pandemic slowly eases out (or is it easing out?), many TVET Institutions are also slowly picking up the pieces from where they fell. With a much sturdy faith and hope for the next and new chapters in providing technical-vocational education and training, many believe that it can surpass the past years. This time, TVET must move towards being quality-assured as demonstrated by voluntary accreditation and being a STAR awardee of TESDA. Whatever it takes, TVET Institutions must continue to be focused in its goals of technical-vocational education and training and consistent with the quality and standards set forth by TESDA. At the same time, TVIs are more challenged to become more relevant, innovative, and flexible in providing TVET and skills development to the Filipino youth. The road may be long and rough ahead, but
Thriving
After the pandemic and everything in TVET is set to move to a new environment, we hope and expect to see the TVIs, flourishing again, reaping the benefits due to the Training Providers. We hope to see TVIs to focus on their own backyards for now and strengthen or increase their organizational capacities towards being quality-assured. Once they reach that, the benefits will come.. We will all fight for those benefits. May the organizational leaders have the gifts of leadership to lead TVET in the Philippines in the right direction.
