Basic Structure of the

Philippine Educational System

LESSON 9
 Part of the reforms outlined by the Congressional Commission on Education in 1992 is

the trifocalization approach in the management of the education sector. This paved the way

to the creation of three (3) governing bodies or departments in the education sector as

follows:                           
1. Department of Education (DepEd) – responsible for the basic education from pre-school
to senior high school;
2. Commission on Higher Education (CHED) – responsible for the tertiary and graduate
education; and
3. Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) – responsible for the
Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and middle level education.
 The creation of the Commission on Higher Education by Republic Act

No. 7722 and of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority

(RA No. 7796) separated these entities from the Department of Education

(formerly known as Department of Education Culture and Sports - DECS)

where they originally belonged. The purpose of which is to decongest the

very broad functions and management of DECS before and for greater

efficiency and effectiveness of its operations.

 The Department of Education (DepEd)

The Governance of Basic Education Act is made possible

through the passage of Republic Act No. 9155 which was

promulgated on August 11, 2001. The Act is otherwise known as

"Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001".

 Governance of basic education

The Act provides that the governance of basic education shall begin at the national

level then at the regions, divisions, schools and learning centers referred to as the field

offices - where the policy and principle for the governance of basic education shall be

translated into programs, projects and services developed, adapted and offered to fit

local needs.

 
Basic function of the DepEd

 
1. Formulation, planning, implementation and coordination of the policies,
standards, regulations, plans, programmes and projects in areas of
formal and non-formal education; and
2. Supervision of all basic education institutions, both public and private,
and provides for the establishment and maintenance of a complete,
adequate and integrated system of education relevant to the goals of
national development
 Early Childhood Education and the promotion of culture and sports

 a shared responsibility of the DepEd and the Department of Social Welfare and
Development.

 
 cultural concerns of the department was handed over to the National Commission for
Culture and the Arts (NCCA)

 
 the sports concern was given to the National Sports Commission (NSC)

 
Vision of the DepEd

“We are a people organization committed to a culture of excellence

in public service. Believing that the most important resource of our

country is its people, we make the task of educating the…

 

 
Mission of the DepEd

“Provide quality basic education that is equitably accessible to

all and lay the foundation for lifelong learning and creative and

rational thinking. Our ultimate aim is to develop Filipinos who

are functionally literate,…

  

Core Values of the DepEd

 Maka-Diyos
 Maka-Tao
 Maka-Kalikasan
 Makabansa
Field offices of the DepEd

Section 2 of R.A. No. 9155 stipulates that it is “at the regions,

divisions, schools, and learning centers, referred to as field offices where

the policy and principle for the governance in the Department are

translated into programs, projects, and services developed, adapted and

offered to fit local needs.”

Functions of the Schools Division Offices

Under the regional field offices are the DepED Schools Division Offices. The Schools

Division Offices perform: (1) instructional leadership and supervision; (2) administrative

and budgetary support to schools; (3) technical support services; (4) quality assurance;

(5) resource generation support to schools, library hub services and BEIS management,

and (4) extension/community services.

Functions of schools

The schools and learning centers are the lowest and smallest units and yet the most important part of the

department. This is the so-called delivery units of the department where basic instruction happens.

Empowerment of school principals

A key feature of the Act is the empowerment of school principals. It implements the decentralization

programme by transferring substantive decision-making powers to the school level

Shared governance in DepEd
 The process of democratic consultation
 The principles of accountability and
transparency
 The communication channels of field
offices
Essential terminologies

 Alternative Learning System

 Integrated School
 Learning Center
 
 School-Based Management (SBM) and its goals

School-Based Management (SBM) refers to the “decentralization of decision-

making authority from central, regional and division levels to individual schools, uniting

school heads, teachers, students as well as parents, the local government units and the

community in promoting effective schools (Primer on School-Based Management and its

Support Systems, 2005).

 
The goal of SBM is two-fold. One is to improve school performance and the other is to improve
student achievement.
 The Commission on Higher Education (CHED)

R.A. No. 7722 otherwise known as Higher Education Act of 1994 created the Commission on Higher

Education (CHED). The Commission was established in May 18, 1994 and it is the governing body covering

both public and private higher education institutions as well as degree-granting programs in all tertiary and

graduate educational institutions in the Philippines. The Commission is independent and separate from the

Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), and attached to the Office of the President for

administrative purposes only. Its coverage is both public and private institutions of higher and graduate

education as well as degree-granting programs in all post-secondary educational institutions, public and

private.
Vision and mission of CHED

 
The vision of the commission is to become the key leader of the Philippine Higher
Education System effectively working in partnership with other major higher education
stakeholders in building the country’s human capital and innovation capacity towards the
development of a Filipino Nation as a responsible member of the international community.
 
On the other hand, its mission is to:
 
 Promote relevant and quality higher education;
 
 Ensure that quality higher education is accessible to all who seek it particularly those
who may not be able to afford it;
  
 Guarantee and protect academic freedom for continuing intellectual
growth, advancement of learning and research, development of
responsible and effective leadership, education of high level
professionals, and enrichment of historical and cultural heritages;
and
 
 Commit to moral ascendancy that eradicates corrupt practices,
institutionalizes transparency and accountability and encourages
participatory governance in the Commission and the sub-sector.
 
 CHED and State Universities and Colleges (SUCs)

SUCs are under the supervision of CHED because the Chairperson of the SUCs Board of Regents or

Board of Trustees is the CHED chairman or one of his/her commissioners.

Mandates of the CHED

Some of the powers and functions of CHED are:

 
1. formulate and recommend development plans, policies, priorities, and programs on higher education and
research;
2. formulate and recommend development plans, policies, priorities and programs on research;
3. recommend to the executive and legislative branches,
priorities and grants on higher education and research;

4. set minimum standards for programs and institutions of

higher learning recommended by panels of experts in the
field and subject to public hearing, and enforce the same;
 
CHED Control of Academic Freedom among HEIs
 

Academic freedom is not an absolute right of HEIs. Under the R.A. 7722, the

Commission shall not abridge the curricular freedom of the individual educational

institutions except for:

1. minimum unit requirements for specific academic programs;
2. general education distribution requirements as may be determined by the Commission;
and
3. specific professional subjects as may be stipulated by the various licensing entities. No
academic or curricular restriction shall be made upon private educational institutions
which are not required for chartered state colleges and universities.
 Accreditation of HEIs
 
The commission recognizes accreditation as a vehicle
for ensuring quality education in the country.
To encourage voluntary accreditation, CHED issued
CMO No. 1,s. 2005 titled “Revised Policies and
Guidelines on Voluntary Accreditation in Aid of Quality
and Excellence in Higher Education”
 
 Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) was

established through the enactment of Republic Act No. 7796 otherwise known as the

Technical Education and Skills Development Act of 1994. The Act aims to encourage full

participation and mobilization of the industry, labor, local government units, and technical-

vocational education and training (TVET) institutions in the skills development of the

country's human resources.

 
 Creation of TESDA
 
The merging of the following offices gave borth to
TESDA:
 
 National Manpower and Youth Council
 Bureau of Technical-Vocational Education of the
DepEd,Culture and Sports (BTVE-DECS)
 Office of Apprenticeship of the Department of Labor
and Employment (DOLE)
 Vision and Mission of TESDA
 

TESDA’s website provides that the vision of TESDA is to become the

leading partner in the development of the Filipino workforce with world-class

competence and positive work values.

On the other hand, its mission is to provide direction, policies, programs,

and standards towards quality technical education and skill development

(TESDA, 2015).
 Powers and Functions of TESDA
 
According to RA 7796, powers and functions of TESDA are:
 
1. The Authority shall primarily be responsible for formulating, continuing,
coordinated and fully integrated technical education and skills development
policies, plans and programs taking into consideration the following:

 
2. The State policy declared herein of giving new direction and thrusts to
efforts in developing the quality of Filipino human resource through technical
education and skills development;

 
3. The implementation of the above-mentioned policy requires the
coordination and cooperation of policies, plans, and programs of different
concerned sectors of Philippine society;

4. Equal participation of representatives of industry groups, trade

associations, employers, workers and government shall be made the rule in
order to ensure that urgent needs and recommendations are readily addressed;
and

5. Improved linkages between industry, labor and government shall be given

priority in the formulation of any national-level plan.
  
Potential Clients of TESDA
 
Secondary school graduates
College undergraduates and graduates
Unemployed persons
Former OFW
Those who are already in the labor market and need to
develop new competencies
 Philippine TVET Qualification and Certification System
 
TESDA website (2015) defines the PTQCS is a quality-assured
structure used for giving recognition to the alignment of (KSAV) along
the middle-level skilled occupations.

 
Competency Assessment of Qualification and Certification
 
TESDA website (2015) defines competency assessment of
qualification and certification as “The process of collecting evidence
and making judgements on whatever competency has been achieved.
 National Certificate (NC) and Certificate of
Competency (COC)
 
 
TESDA website (2015) specifies that the “National
Certificate is issued when a candidate has demonstrated
competence in all units of competency that comprised a
qualification.
Certificate of Competency is issued to individuals who
have satisfactorily demonstrated competence in a particular
or a cluster of units of competency.
 Reference

Embracing the Teaching Profession

Tamayao, 2019