PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. yesterday directed the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and its partner schools to ensure the immediate and smooth implementation of the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP).
The President issued the directive during the presentation of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 12124, or the ETEEAP Act, which he signed into law in March this year.
“To the CHED and its partner agencies: Let’s ensure the implementation of this Act goes smoothly. Monitor our deputized HEIs and see to it that this law benefits those it was created for. And to every Filipino: Life, as they say, is a lifelong learning,” Marcos said.
“Do not stop dreaming. The true measure of wisdom is your ability to face challenges to fulfill your dreams. I believe you are proof that there is no limit to what every Filipino can achieve,” he added.
Under the ETEEAP, qualified individuals can receive academic credits and complete degrees without undergoing traditional classroom instruction.
It would be based on the competencies gained through work experience, non-formal training and informal education.
“Finally, we have institutionalized what we have been dreaming of being able to do for many, many years. Because after all, we all understand learning is not confined to the classroom. Often, the most important lessons are learned in the workplace, on shop floors, helping run a family business,” the President said.
“Each experience in life carries a lesson, which we consider the toughest and most honest teacher. With the signing of the IRR of the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP) Act, we reaffirm a crucial principle: experience is just as valuable as a formal education. That we trust the Filipinos’ ability to succeed regardless of where and how they acquired their skills,” Marcos added.
He recognized that some people were forced to drop out of school or refrain from pursuing higher education due to financial constraints, being forced to work, or to be responsible for their family in the absence of their parents or guardians, among others.
“This law gives our fellows who were not able to finish college a second chance. It supports caregivers, mechanics, technicians, and entrepreneurs — people who have long proven their skill but who now get the recognition that they properly deserve,” the President said.
Marcos said it would also open doors to higher positions, better income, and more professional opportunities without taking time away from work in order to attend college.
It would also lead to the development of stronger industries and a more competitive workforce.
The ETEEAP also identifies, assesses, validates, and assigns equivalent undergraduate-level and special graduate programs of prior learning from formal, non-formal, and informal learning systems and relevant work experiences to qualified individuals for the grant of appropriate academic degrees.
Filipino citizens– whether residing in the Philippines or abroad — who are at least 23 years old, a high school graduate with a minimum of five years of work experience related to the degree they wish to earn, may apply for equivalency and accreditation.
Their competencies would be assessed through written tests, interviews, skills demonstrations and portfolio reviews conducted by deputized Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
They must present their high school diploma or a result of the Philippine Educational Placement Test or Alternative Learning System Accreditation and Equivalency Assessment and Certification stating that the individual concerned is qualified to enter college.
The deputized HEIs include State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) that are classified as Level II or higher, and hold Certificates of Program Compliance for their ETEEAP offerings; local universities and colleges that have equivalent institutional standards to SUCs; and private institutions that have autonomous or deregulated status.
The CHED, which is the lead agency in implementing ETEEAP, may also deputize additional institutions or establish regional centers in areas with limited access to the program.
