Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 11551)
The short title of Republic Act No. 11551 is the "Labor Education Act".
The policy declares that the State shall protect labor, promote full employment, ensure equal opportunities regardless of sex, race or creed, regulate employer-employee relations, and assure workers' rights such as self-organization, collective bargaining, security of tenure, and just and humane working conditions.
Labor Education refers to the teaching of basic knowledge on labor rights and skills related to negotiation, fostering smooth interpersonal relations in the workplace, and mechanisms for grievance redress and other related concerns.
It refers to the general education curriculum designed for students in higher education institutions leading to a degree, as well as nondegree diploma and certificate courses in technical-vocational institutions.
All public and private higher education institutions (HEIs) and technical-vocational institutions (TVIs) offering courses are required to integrate labor education into their curricular programs either as elective courses or part of modular programs, depending on the course length.
CHED is responsible for developing the program to execute and implement the integration of labor education in higher education curricula and is also tasked to include labor education coverage and quality in the comprehensive curriculum review.
TESDA, in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), must develop appropriate labor education modules and relevant instructional materials for technical-vocational institutions. TESDA is also tasked with including labor education in the curriculum review for TVET programs.
Labor education is mandatory as an elective course for nondegree certificate and diploma courses ranging from one to three years. It is encouraged but not mandatory for short-term courses lasting from one month to less than one year to integrate labor education into their modular programs.
As far as practicable, HEIs should hold a Labor Empowerment and Career Guidance conference which graduating students shall attend.
The CHED and TESDA, in consultation with DOLE and relevant stakeholders, must formulate the implementing rules and regulations within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of the Act.
All inconsistent laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations, and administrative regulations or parts thereof are revoked, repealed, or modified accordingly.
The Act took effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
If any portion or provision of the Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the rest of the law will continue to be in effect as long as the remaining provisions can stand on their own.