Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 10968)
The short title of Republic Act No. 10968 is the "PQF Act."
The State declares the policy to institutionalize the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) to encourage lifelong learning, provide industry-aligned training standards and qualifications, ensure compliance by training and educational institutions, and provide a common basis for recognizing qualifications and programs.
Basic Education refers to the part of the educational system intended to meet basic learning needs, encompassing kindergarten, elementary, secondary education, and alternative learning systems for out-of-school youth and those with special needs.
Qualification means a formal certification that a person has successfully achieved specific learning outcomes relevant to academic, industry, or community requirements, conferring official recognition in the labor market and further education.
The PQF-NCC is composed of the Secretary of DepED as Chairperson, Secretaries of DOLE and CHED, Director General of TESDA, Chairperson of PRC, one representative from the economic sector, and one representative from the industry sector.
The objectives are: (a) to adopt national standards and levels of learning outcomes; (b) to support development and maintenance of pathways and equivalencies for access to qualifications; and (c) to align domestic qualifications with international frameworks to enhance recognition and mobility.
The PQF-NCC harmonizes qualification levels, aligns education standards, promotes PQF elements, rationalizes quality assurance, develops equivalencies, maintains a national registry, ensures international alignment, creates technical groups, represents Philippines internationally, reviews PQF, submits reports, and other related functions.
Industry sector representatives are consulted and engaged to ensure that educational outcomes align with industry requirements and to add value to qualifications in the workplace.
Level descriptors in the PQF are defined in terms of knowledge, skills and values, application, and degree of independence.
The PRC and CHED are tasked to review systems of assessment of learning outcomes to align them with the PQF standards.
Initial implementation funds come from the current budgets of CHED, TESDA, and DepED; subsequent funding will be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
The separability clause provides that if any part is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other unaffected parts shall continue in full force and effect.