MANILA – The Philippines needs closer coordination among schools, businesses, and the government to equip Filipinos with skills that match industry needs and prepare them for future jobs.
In a Bagong Pilipinas interview on Thursday, Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) Senior Research Fellow Michael Ralph Abrigo cited reforms such as kindergarten, the MATATAG Curriculum, and Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE), which have helped improve student learning.
He, however, said many students are still not learning enough to reach proficiency, while teachers continue to deal with heavy workloads and limited resources.
He warned that failing to address these gaps will have long-term effects on workers and the economy.
“Siyempre pag hindi natin tutugunan iyong mga problema na ito, anong mangyayari? Hindi natututo nang maayos iyong mga bata, kulang iyong pagkatuto nila (Of course, if we don't address these problems, what will happen? The children are not learning properly, their education is lacking),” he said.
“So may spillover ito pagdating nang nagtatrabaho na sila. Kung sana mas natuto sila, mas mataas sana iyong suweldo nila, mas mataas iyong kita nila, mas maayos ang kabuhayan natin (So there is a spillover effect when they start working. If only they had learned more, their salaries would have been higher, their income would have been higher, and our livelihood would have been better)."
Abrigo said the private sector can help improve education not only by supporting school infrastructure, but also by providing teacher training, scholarships, internships, technology support, and helping schools align their curricula with the skills employers need.
He added closer collaboration between schools and industry can help reduce the long-standing mismatch between graduates' skills and available jobs, stressing that learning should continue beyond formal schooling, especially as technology rapidly changes the workplace.
"Maraming programa iyong gobyerno diyan, mga reskilling, upskilling. Iyong ating framework kasi ngayon is not just about learning sa kolehiyo, sa basic education pati sa life-long na learning. So, hindi tayo natatapos mag-aral kasi iyong industry din natin pabagu-bago, paiba-iba iyong needs (The government has many programs there, right? Reskilling, upskilling. Our framework now is not just about learning in college, in basic education, but also in life-long learning. So, we don't stop studying because our industry is also constantly changing, with needs that vary),” he said.
“So, for example ngayon iyong demand for AI (artificial intelligence), for digital skills na hindi naman siya available 30, 40 years ago pero mayroon tayong mga programa that helps people, ito ay patuloy na natututo iyong mga tao, nakakasabay sila doon sa pagbabago ng industriya (So, for example now the demand for AI, for digital skills that weren't available 30, 40 years ago but we have programs that help people, they continue to learn, they keep up with the changes in the industry),” Abrigo said.
Meanwhile, on the impact of AI on jobs, he said workers should continue building technical skills while strengthening transferable skills such as leadership, problem-solving, and adaptability to keep up with changing industry demands.
Abrigo said investing in education benefits not only individual learners but also their families and the country. (PNA)
