Republic of the Philippines
Hause of Representatines
‘Quezon City, Metco Manila
Fifteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No.__112

Introduced by Honorable Neptali M. Gonzales II

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to strengthen the ladderized education system in the country.

Filipinos have a deep regard for education which they view as a primary
avenue for economic and social development. Basic quality education is very
important in building a nation. Hence, it is important to make it accessible to all.

Presently, there are about 848,000 college graduates in the country who are
unemployed due to "education mismatch" or the fact that there are no available
jobs related to the courses they took. This mismatch in the quality of skilled
graduates produced by educational institutions, compared to the needs of the
current market and industries, result to “structural unemployment.”

As solution to this structural unemployment, the ladderized education
program has been introduced. The program allows the technical or vocational
graduate to earn the equivalent credit units for technical course in entering the
college education. The curriculum is restructured to allow a student of a
Ladderized College degree program to earn technical or vocational credits and
qualifications without having to repeat the same technical vocational subjects for
which he has already acquired knowledge and competence.

‘The passage of this bill will strengthen the ladderized education system in
the country and will further address the present compartmentalization of technical
or yocational and college degree programs that hinder the recognition and
accreditation of competencies in college degree programs.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is urgently recommended.

NEPTAL) GONZALES I


Fifteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 112

Introduced by Honorable Neptali M. Gonzales I

AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE LADDERIZED INTERFACE BETWEEN
TECHNICAL-VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING
(TVET) AND HIGHER EDUCATION

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines
in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Ladderized
Education Act of 2010.”

SEC. 2. — Declaration of Policy. - \n line with the constitutional guarantee of
the State to promote the right of all citizens to quality and accessible education at all
levels and to establish, maintain and support a complete, adequate and integrated system
of education relevant to the needs of the people and contributory to national
development, it is hereby declared the policy of the State to institutionalize the
ladderized interface between technical-vocational education and training (TVET) and
higher education to open the pathways of opportunities for career and educational
progression of students and workers, create a seamless and borderless education,
empower students and workers to exercise options or to choose when to enter and exit
in the educational ladder and provide job platforms at every exit as well as the
opportunity to earn income.

The State likewise recognizes and supports the promotion and protection of the
inherent academic freedom enjoyed by all institutions of higher learning. For this

purpose, the government shall have due regard to the academic standards, equity


principles, promptness and consistency of the applications/admissions and equivalency
policies of higher education institutions (HEIs).

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms
are hereby defined:

(a) Articulation refers to a process which allows students to make the smooth
transition from one course, program or educational level to the next without
experiencing duplication of learning. The guiding principles of articulation is that no
student should repeat the same course content for which credit has already been
received, even if elsewhere or from another institution. In general, an articulated
program allows a student to move from technical-vocational (tech-voe) course to a
college degree program, using the principle of credit transfer.

(b) Credit refers to the value given to a course.

(©) Credit transfer refers to the recognition and carrying forward of credits that
constitute overlapping learning, from TVET to a degree program.

(d) Embedded Tech-Voe Qualification in a Ladderized Degree Program refers
to the process of determining the TVET competencies/qualifications that lead to job
platforms in the relevant higher education or bachelor's degree program. A student of a
ladderized degree program can earn full TVET qualification should he/she choose to
exit from the program and get a job.

(©) Qualification refers to a formal certification that a person has successfully
achieved specific learning outcomes relevant to the identified academic, industry or
community requirements.

(0) Equivalency refers to a process that involves assigning equivalent academic
credits to the competencies demonstrated by a student through assessment tests, thereby

providing entry points to the next higher level qualification, the purpose of which is to


provide opportunities to the student to continue to learn and/or to reenter the educational
program at a higher level without having to unnecessarily retake courses in which a
student already has demonstrated competence and knowledge.

(g) Recognition of prior learning refers to the acknowledgment of a person's
skills and knowledge through previous training, work or life experience, which may be
used to grant status or credit for acquired competencies.

(h) Job platform refers to the gateway in the ladderized curriculum which one
reaches upon acquiring enough skills and knowledge to seek and find employment.

(i) Ladderized education refers to the harmonization of all education and
training mechanisms that allow students and workers to progress between tech-voc and
college courses and programs, or vice-versa. It opens opportunities for career and
educational advancement to students and workers, creates a seamless and borderless
education and training system that will allow transfers in terms of flexibility entry and
exit between tech-voc and college degree program in the post-secondary school
educational system.

SEC. 4. National Qualifications Framework. - The Commission on Higher
Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA) are hereby mandated to closely coordinate and effectively implement a
unified national qualifications framework that establishes equivalency pathways and
access ramps in ladderized education, allowing for easier transitions and progressions
between TVET and higher education. The framework shall include qualifications and
articulation mechanisms such as, but not necessarily limited to, the following: credit
transfer; embedded TVET qualification in ladderized degree programs; post-TVET
bridging programs; enhanced equivalency; adoption of ladderized curricula/programs;

and accreditation and/or recognition of prior learning.


For this purpose, the CHED and the TESDA shall design harmonized guidelines
and equivalency competency courses to enhance the delivery of high quality tech-voe
and higher education courses, synchronize standards and upgrade curriculum design per
discipline and adopt a strategic implementation scheme, including a massive
consultation and information dissemination scheme. In so doing, the CHED and the
TESDA shall continue exploring and developing other mechanisms and systems that
will allow the interface between TVET and higher education with the end in view of
creating a seamless and borderless education system.

SEC. 5. Priority Disciplines. - As a preliminary approach to the
implementation of the ladderized program and to ensure a more focused
implementation of the said program, the CHED and the TESDA, in consultation with
the industry, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Department of
Trade and Industry (DT1), the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA),
the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the Professional Regulation
Commission (PRC) and other related agencies, are directed to identify priority
disciplines and programs for ladderization, taking into account labor market realities.
Therefrom, the CHED and the TESDA shall implement the ladderization of other
disciplines, other than those presently being implemented, should it be found necessary
and beneficial to do so based on a comprehensive study on the viability of such move.

SEC. 6. Enhancement of the Ladderized Education Program (LEP). - The
CHED and the TESDA, in consultation with the PRC, are directed to jointly devise
systems, procedures and mechanisms as well as to issue, amend and update existing
implementing guidelines, as necessary, for the efficient and effective implementation of
the LEP and to ensure that the objectives of the program are met. Incentives may be

given to HEIs and technical-vocational institutions to further encourage wider


participation the LEP.

For this purpose, a permanent LEP National Coordinating Technical Committee,
composed of CHED and TESDA shall ensure that there are designated personnel at the
regional and provincial levels responsible for the implementation, monitoring and
evaluation of the LEP nationwide.

SEC. 7. Support from Other Government Agencies. - The PRC, the DOLE,
the Department of Education (DepED), the DOST, the DTI, the Department of Budget
and Management (DBM) and the NEDA are hereby mandated to extend the necessary
support and provide relevant inputs towards the effective implementation of the
ladderized system of education.

SEC. 8. Scholarships, Grants and Loans. - To ensure the effective
implementation and greater nationwide impact of the program and its accessibility to
the students and workers, the CHED and the TESDA shall endeavor to include in their
respective budgets the provision of scholarships, grants and loans to deserving students
and workers availing themselves of the ladderized system of education, in addition to
the present scholarship program being implemented by the CHED and the TESDA.

SEC. 9. Enabling Clause for HEIs. - To encourage application of ladderized
education and to ensure greater nationwide impact of the program and its accessibility
to students and workers, the HEIs that have been granted government recognition to its
curriculum by the CHED may opt to ladderize said recognized programs without need
of permit either from the CHED or the TESDA: Provided, That the proposed
ladderized program is within the purview of the curricular matter and that the minimum
curricular requirements under the relevant guidelines of the CHED and the TESDA are
complied with.

For this purpose, however, the HEI shall be required to submit to the LEP


National Technical Committee the copy of the curriculum for the proposed ladderized
program for monitoring and for potential objective inputs from the technical experts in
the said LEP National Technical Committee.

SEC. 10. Academic Freedom. - Nothing in this Act shall be construed to
restrict the HEI in the exercise of its academic freedom. The HEI shall retain the right
to assess the level and standard of previously completed TVET programs by an
applicant-student in a manner that is transparent and objective, incorporating therein its
own admission requirements. The applicant-student must gain admission to the HEI's
undergraduate program by meeting all the usual criteria and program requisites and
such other requirements by the HEI.

SEC. 11. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the initial
implementation of this Act shall be sourced from the current budgets and development
funds of the CHED and TESDA. Thereafter, the funds necessary for the continuous
implementation of this Act in the ensuing years shall be included in the annual
respective appropriations of the CHED and the TESDA in the General Appropriations
Act.

SEC. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations, - The CHED and the TESDA,
in consultation with relevant stakeholders in higher and tech-voc education, shall issue
within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act, the rules and regulations for the
effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 13. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act or any part hereof
be declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions, as far as these are separable
from the invalid ones, shall remain in force and effect.

SEC. 14. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations

or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby


repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 15. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general
circulation.

Approved,