Over 7,000 avail of free courses

• Source: https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/cebu-news/bottom-article-list/2018/03/03/1793072/over-7000-avail-free-courses
• Sunday, March 4, 2018

By May B. Miasco (/KBQ, The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines — Over 7,000 qualified individuals in Central Visayas were given free scholarship grants by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

The 7,146 scholars also chose their preferred training skills program or course, said Nila Fidellaga, TESDA-7 information officer.

They were enrolled on the spot during the TESDA-led National Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) enrollment day and jobs bridging held in five separate areas in the region— Cebu City in Cebu province, Ubay and Jagna towns in Bohol province, Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental, and Siquijor City in Siquijor—from February 27 to 29.

Fidellaga said most of the scholars are from the marginalized sector.

The activity was part of the agency’s long-term plans aimed at curbing poverty by increasing the marginalized sector’s access to technical vocational education and training (TVET).

The vocational and training program is granted to urban and rural poor, farmers, fisherfolk, indigenous people, women, rebel returnees/ combatants, drug dependents, repatriated overseas Filipino workers, out-of-school youth, and unemployed individuals, among others.

Courses covered are tourism-related like housekeeping and food and beverages; and construction work-related like carpentry, welding, and electrical.

Others include agriculture, manufacturing, and Information Technology-Business Process Management (IT-BPM).

On the other hand, 111 of the 2,506 participants were hired on the spot.

Fidellaga said only a few participants were hired as they failed to meet the desired qualifications.

She said the local office is set to hold another enrollment day and jobs bridging activity in the succeeding months.