Law Summary
Declaration of Policy
- State commitment to promote quality and accessible education at all levels.
- Recognition of education and training as vital for national development.
- Institutionalization of the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) to:
- Encourage lifelong learning.
- Provide training standards aligned with industry.
- Ensure compliance and accountability of educational institutions.
- Establish a common taxonomy and typology for recognizing qualifications.
Definition of Terms
- Basic Education: foundational education covering kindergarten to secondary levels including alternative systems.
- Higher Education: post-secondary education granting academic degrees, diplomas, or certificates.
- Qualification: formal certification recognizing achieved learning outcomes relevant to academic, industry, or community standards.
- Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET): technology-related and practical skills education in formal and non-formal settings.
- Trifocalized Education and Training: administration of education divided among DepEd (basic), TESDA (TVET), and CHED (higher education).
Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF)
- Established as a quality-assured national system to develop, recognize, and award qualifications based on knowledge, skills, and values.
- Objectives include:
- Adoption of national learning standards and qualification levels.
- Support for pathways and equivalencies for easy mobility across education and labor sectors.
- Alignment with international qualifications frameworks for global recognition and mobility.
Philippine Qualifications Framework-National Coordinating Council (PQF-NCC)
- Composition includes key government agency heads and representatives from economic and industry sectors.
- Chaired by the Secretary of DepEd.
- Powers and functions encompass:
- Harmonization of qualification levels and educational standards.
- Promotion and dissemination of PQF principles and guidelines.
- Rationalization of quality assurance mechanisms.
- Development of pathways and equivalencies.
- Maintenance of a national qualifications registry.
- Ensuring international alignment.
- Formation of technical working groups.
- Representation in international fora.
- Regular review, report submission, and other related functions.
Establishment of PQF-NCC Working Groups
- Specialized groups focused on qualifications register, quality assurance, pathways and equivalencies, guidelines, and international alignment.
- Each chaired by member-agency designated by PQF-NCC.
Participation of the Industry Sector
- Industry representatives are consulted and involved to align education outcomes with market requirements and enhance qualification value in workplaces.
Framework and Level Descriptors
- PQF incorporates level descriptors based on knowledge, skills, values, application, and independence.
- Detailed descriptors developed for each qualification level following lifelong learning and recognition of prior informal learning.
- Integration of educational standards, competency standards, and higher education policies.
- National pilot programs implemented to test relevance.
- DOLE provides labor market data for prioritization.
Review of Assessment System
- PRC and CHED tasked to review assessment systems aligning them with PQF standards.
Permanent Secretariat
- Establishment of a permanent technical secretariat to support PQF-NCC.
- Authority to contract technical experts.
- PQF-NCC to determine organizational structure and staffing.
Identification of Priority Sectors
- CHED, TESDA, and DepEd, in consultation with various agencies, to identify priority sectors and programs based on labor market realities.
Support from Other Government Agencies
- Agencies including DOST, NEDA, DBM mandated to support and provide inputs for effective PQF implementation.
Appropriations
- Initial funding sourced from CHED, TESDA, and DepEd current budgets.
- Subsequent funding to be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
Implementing Rules and Regulations
- DepEd, CHED, TESDA, DOLE, and PRC to promulgate necessary implementing rules within 90 days of the Act’s effectivity.
Separability Clause
- Invalidity or unconstitutionality of any provision does not affect the validity of the rest of the Act.
Repealing Clause
- All conflicting laws and regulations are modified or amended to be consistent with this Act.
Effectivity
- The Act takes effect 15 days after publication in the Official Gazette or a national newspaper of general circulation.