SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES)
First Regular Session )

HOUSE oF REPRESERTSRIVES

INTRODUCED BY HONORABLE MARK A. VILLAR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

It is @ prevalent view that the usual path a person takes in order to land a
good job or be successful in one's career is by acquiring a college diploma. Sending
children who finished high school to technical-vocational ("tech-voc’ for brevity)
school is not the usual option being taken by traditional families, even with meager
resources, because of the common view that finishing tech-voc courses would not
be enough for the graduates to land good-paying jobs and improve the quality of
their families’ lives. Besides, they think that if they opt to acquire college education
afterwards, tech-voc graduates have to start taking the curriculum of first year
college again and the subjects taken in the tech-voc institutions will not be credited.
Hence, many parents work truly hard just to send their children to college and finally
acquire the much-coveted college diploma.

Of recent times, our country produces around 500,000 fresh college
graduates yearly. Yet, it is sad reality that most of these fresh college graduates
experience severe difficulty in finding jobs in accord with the field of their education.
Surprisingly, statistics showed that most of our fresh college graduates do not
have, the skills needed for the available vacancies in the job market. This results
to "structural unemployment" or the situation where there is a mismatch between
the actual qualifications and competencies of workers looking for jobs, and the
qualifications and competencies that industries and companies need for their
available job vacancies.

As one of the solutions to this structural unemployment, the ladderized
interface between technical-vocational education and training (TVET) and higher
education (HE) has been introduced. Through the ladderized system, tech-
voc graduates of technical-vocational institutions will be able to pursue higher
educational courses offered in colleges and universities without having to lose credit
on what they have already eamed or completed in a tech-voc program. Even after
‘one to two years of technical-vocational education and training where graduates
are armed with the necessary skills, knowledge, attitudes and values needed to
get into a job or establish their own business, they could pursue higher education
if they so desire without having to start all over again as appropriate credits will be
given. This system will articulate tech-voc to a number of higher education options
with the attendant credits earned. It is a flexible mechanism which provides for


an efficient and effective mechanism to allow individuals to continuously improve
themselves (life-long learning) without being hampered by their initial choice in the
past regarding their educational career or even by their socio-economic conditions.

The purpose of this Ladderized Education is to open up pathways of opportunities
for career and educational progression of students and workers. It intends to create
a seamless and borderless education and training that allows mobility in terms of
flexible entry and exit into the educational system. In essence, ladderized education
is an empowering tool because it provides options or choices to the students and
workers on when to enter and to exit in the educational ladder. Significantly, it
creates job platforms at every exit and provide students with opportunities to get jobs
and earn income.

This bill seeks to strengthen the Ladderized Education in the country which
offers education responsive to the needs of the present times and of our people.

In view of the foregoing, | recommend the approval of this bill

MARK A, VILLAR) “~~


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES)
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
House BILLNo. 2895

Introduced by HONORABLE MARK A. VILLAR

AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE LADDERIZED INTERFACE BETWEEN TECHNICAL-
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING 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 2013.”

SEC. 2, Declaration of Policy. — In line with the Constitutional guarantee for 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 leaning. For this


purpose, the government shall uphold 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.
hereby defined:
a. Articulation refers to a process which allows students to make the smooth

For purposes of this Act, the following terms are

transition from one course, program or educational level to the next without
experiencing duplication of leaming. The guiding principle 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 a technical-vocational (tech-voc) 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-Voc 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.

e. 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 re-enter the educational program at a higher level without having
to unnecessarily retake courses in which a student already has demonstrated
competence and knowledge.

f. Job Platform refers to the gateway in the ladderized curriculum which one
reaches upon acquiring enough skills and knowledge to seek and find employment.

g. 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 Programs in the post-
secondary school educational system.

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

i. Recognition of Prior Leaning 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.

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, CHED and TESDA shall design harmonized guidelines and
equivalency competency courses to enhance the delivery of high-quality tech-voc
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, CHED and
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 its more focused implementation, CHED and
TESDA, in consultation with the industry, the Department of Labor and Employment


(DOLE), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the National Economic
and Development Authority (NEDA), the Department of Science and Technology
(00ST), 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. CHED and TESDA shall implement the ladderization
of other disciplines, other than those presently being implemented, should these be
found necessary and beneficial, based on a comprehensive study on their viability.

SEC. 6, Enhancement of the Ladderized Education Program (LEP). - CHED
and 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 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 in the LEP.

For this purpose, a permanent LEP National Coordinating Technical
Committee, composed of CHED and TESDA personnel, is hereby established.

The CHED and TESDA shall ensure that there are designated personnel at
the regional and provincial levels responsible for the implementation, monitoring and
evaluation of LEP nationwide,

SEC. 7. Support from Other Government Agencies. - The PRC, DOLE,
Department of Education (DepED), DOST, 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, CHED and 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 programs being implemented by CHED and


TESDA.

SEC. 9. Enabling Clause for HEIs. - To encourage the widest enjoyment of the
benefit of ladderized education, HEIs whose curricula have been recognized by the
CHED may avail of the ladderization program without need for permit either from
CHED or 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 CHED and 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 bill shall be construed to restrict the
HE! 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 CHED
and TESDA. Thereafter, the funds necessary for the continuous implementation
of this Act in the ensuing years shall be included in the respective annual
appropriations of CHED and TESDA in the General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The CHED and 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 thereof
shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions, as far as they are
separable, 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,