Public, private schools urged to conduct early career orientation

THE Department of Education (DepEd) urged public and private high schools in the country to orient their students as early as possible on the various career pathways to take after their secondary schooling.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said there is a need to prepare students on what courses are better suited to their skills and strengths rather than enroll in degree programs that only resulted to under-employment or at worse, unemployment.

"In accordance with the mandate of secondary education to prepare students for lifelong learning and the world of work, the school heads of secondary schools, both public and private, are advised to orient their high school students as early as the first year on the various career pathways to take after graduation," Luistro said in his order contained in Memorandum 149.

"Early orientation on the many career opportunities provided in the curriculum will strongly encourage to learn and complete their basic education," Luistro added.

The DepEd chief said the department has various curricular programs designed to enable students to "understand their strengths, pursue their interests, and develop their multiple intelligence."

Among these programs are the Special Program in the Arts, Special Program in Sports, Engineering and Science Education Program and Science and Technology, Special Program in Journalism, Special Program in Foreign Language and Technical-Vocational Education, including the newly designed Career Pathways in Technical Livelihood Education.

Luistro also called on student clubs and organizations to encourage their members to pursue their interests through the said programs.

Under the Technology and Livelihood program, students can take Food and Food Service, Beauty Care, Clothing and Textile, Home Management Services and Health Care and Support Services, while those who opt to enroll in Industrial Arts program can have Automotive, Civil and Electrical Technology, Drafting, Electronics, Metalworks, Handicraft and Refrigeration and Air-conditioning.

For IT Technology, students can take Photo Editing, Desktop Publishing, Webpage Design, Programming, Data Management, Computer Assembly, Maintenance and Troubleshooting; while in Agriculture and Fishery, students can take Plant, Animal and Fish Production.

The Special Program in the Arts, on the other hand, offers specialization on Music, Visual Arts, Theater Art, Creative Writing and Dance.

For those who want to enter the world of journalism, Luistro said first year high school students can take print journalism and progress to print and online journalism in the second year, introduction to broadcast journalism and advanced broadcast journalism in the third and fourth years, respectively.

Though Luistro did not say in his order whether this is related to the government's program to add two more years to the current 10-year basic education system under the K to 12 program, the official has repeatedly stated in the past that the current education system does not fully equip the students with the right skills needed for them to land a job once they finished schooling.

The DepEd has touted the K to 12 program as one of the answers to the problem of under-employment and unemployment due to unsuitable skills of the graduate, adding that the two additional years would focus on specialization and technical-vocational skills.

It added that the program would be able to produce employable 18-year-old high school graduates by giving them a longer time to study and master employable skills.

But those opposed to the program said it would be better if the government would address first the problems facing the basic education sector such as shortages in classrooms, teachers, textbooks, toilets and other school facilities.

At the same time, they said the problem after graduation is not really about unsuitable skills but rather the lack of employment opportunities. (AH/Sunnex)