“Not another consultation meeting!” This was the immediate response of industry stakeholders and training providers when I shared an invitation from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EdCom II) for a consultation activity. Even I was skeptical when I received the invite. We’ve all been through countless consultation meetings that result in empty talk and false promises. But this time, something felt different to me and to others as well. In a way, we are in a better position now than when we started.
One positive development is the existence of enabling laws and the inclusive approach that connects the efforts of planners and implementers. Stakeholders are now testing the effectiveness of these laws in real-world situations. For example, we discovered a significant disparity in scholarship accessibility between large, private technical-vocational institutions (TVIs) and small, not-for-profit ones like Don Bosco Youth Center-Tondo Inc. Through my experience managing Don Bosco’s TVET programs, I’ve learned that excellent ideas don’t always translate into practical solutions. Implementing high-standard laws can have unintended consequences on the ground. In the TVET sector, pragmatic and realistic solutions are preferable to idealistic ones that can’t be fairly and equitably implemented.
Even if we manage to pass supportive policies for TVIs, institutions like Don Bosco Youth Center-Tondo Inc. face constant financial struggles. We rely on partnerships to survive and continue providing opportunities for out-of-school youth to grow and fulfill their potential. During the July 3 consultation, our students had the chance to demonstrate their skills in various fields. We also had honest discussions about the challenges we face in the TVET sector. While we didn’t solve any problems that day, we asked the right questions, which is a step in the right direction.
The consultation shed light on areas of concern, particularly the need to prioritize the true beneficiaries of education: our people, especially those who are less fortunate. Policymakers must remember that the purpose of laws is to serve the people, not the other way around. The fact that the initial consultation took place in a vocational school for out-of-school youth, located in a densely populated area, highlights the commitment to inclusion.
EdCom II’s consultations provide an opportunity for policymakers to hear directly from people on the ground and engage in meaningful conversations with teachers, administrators, and students, whose voices often go unheard in national discussions. The waters are being stirred, and I believe that the people behind EdCom II will make things work, and even better. Cynicism and unproductive finger-pointing won’t get us anywhere. Instead of feeling despondent when the status quo is disrupted, let us embrace change and strive for progress.
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Fr. Dennis Sylvester “Vester” Cascalang, SDB, is the TVET administrator of Don Bosco Youth Center-Tondo Inc., a nonstock, nonprofit institution that empowers at-risk out-of-school youth through technical-vocational programs, enabling them to access better opportunities in the labor market. Don Bosco Youth Center-Tondo Inc. is the first stop in EdCom II’s series of consultations with stakeholders, as part of its mission to evaluate and recommend policies for improving the country’s education system.
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