TESDA awards outstanding TVET programs

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has conferred honors to exemplary technical vocational education and training (TVET) programs in the country through the agency’s System for TVET Accreditation and Recognition (STAR) Awards Program.

The recognition was awarded during the 7th National Quality TVET Forum held on July 8 at the Hilton Manila Hotel, Pasay City, with the theme ““Empower, Innovate, Transform: Cultivating the Growth Mindset in TVET for a Sustainable Tomorrow”.

TESDA Secretary Kiko Benitez underscored the importance of continuous improvement and innovation in the TVET system and highlighted that these awards reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to quality, accountability, and future-ready skills development.

“To ensure that our policies, processes, and procedures [remain relevant], from curriculum to instruction to assessment, we are continuously improving and aligning with industry standards and global benchmarks,” Sec. Kiko said.

“Let us continue to strengthen our systems, embrace a growth mindset, and promote excellence in every training center across the country,” added the TESDA chief.

The STAR Awards Program recognizes training programs that have exceeded the minimum registration requirements set by TESDA. The STAR Program has 4 categories, with the lowest “Candidate Status” given to training programs with identified weaknesses, and the highest “Three Stars” awarded to those that present standards substantially above the threshold of competency-based training programs. This year, 54 training programs being offered by 34 public and private tech-voc institutions were conferred with the STAR Award.

Receiving the higher, Two Stars level of the awards for their training programs are Jacobo Z. Gonzales Memorial School of Arts and Trades (for Electronic Products Assembly and Servicing (EPAS) NC II); Regional Training Center – CALABARZON (for Organic Agriculture Production NC II and Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) NC I); and, Provincial Training Center – Bilar (for Cookery NC II).

One Star awardees include TESDA – NAVOTAAS Training Institute (Refrigeration and Air – Conditioning Servicing (DomRAC) NC II); Regional Training Center – National Capital Region (Mechatronics Servicing NC II and PV Systems Installation NC II); IGAMA Colleges Foundation, Inc. (Health Care Services NC II); Pangasinan Technological Institute (Bread and Pastry Production NC II); Lasam Institute of Technology (Agricultural Crops Production NC I); Aparri Polytechnic Institute (Electrical Installation and Maintenance (EIM) NC II); Regional Training Center –  II Tuguegarao (Housekeeping NC II and Cookery NC II); Isabela School of Arts and Trades (Housekeeping NC II, SMAW NC II, and Computer Systems Servicing NC II).

Other One Star awardees are Southern Isabela College of Arts and Trades (Caregiving NC II, Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) NC II, Food and Beverage Services (FBS) NC II, Cookery NC II, and Driving NC II); Provincial Training Center – Calumpit (EIM NC II); Provincial Training Center – Tarlac (EIM NC II); Rizal Provincial Technical Education and Skills Development Center – Cainta (EIM NC II); Provincial Training Center  – Rosario (EIM NC II and PV Systems Installation NC II); Jacobo Z. Gonzales Memorial School of Arts and Trades (Dressmaking NC II); Regional Training Center – CALABARZON (EPAS NC II); Torrijos Poblacion School of Arts and Trades (DomRAC NC II); Puerto Princesa School of Arts and Trades (EIM NC II); and Buyabod School of Arts and Trades (EIM NC II).

Also receiving One Star recognition are Provincial Training Center – Palawan (Driving NC II); Simeon Suan Vocational and Technical College (Dressmaking NC II and Organic Agriculture Production NC II); Camarines Sur Institute of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (Organic Agriculture Production NC II); Dumalag Vocational Technical School (Housekeeping NC II, FBS NC II, and Dressmaking NC II); Leon Ganzon Polytechnic College (Organic Agriculture Production NC II and Cookery NC II); Provincial Training Center – Samboan (EIM NC II); Provincial Training Center – Daanbantayan (Housekeeping NC II); Regional Training Center VII Cebu (Automotive Servicing NC I); Regional Training Center – VIII Tacloban (Automotive Servicing NC IV); Balicuatro College of Arts and Trades (SMAW NC II); Dipolog School of Fisheries (Bartending NC II and Bread and Pastry Production NC II); Oroquieta Agro-Industrial School (Organic Agriculture Production NC II); Davao Oriental Polytechnic Institute (Animal Production (Poultry-Chicken) NC II, Bread and Pastry Production NC II, and Cookery NC II); General Santos National School of Arts and Trades (FBS NC II); and Surigao del Norte College of Agriculture and Technology (Cookery NC II and SMAW NC II).

TESDA’s STAR Program reviews how well training programs are being implemented and checks if they meet international quality benchmarks like the EAS TVET Quality Assurance Framework and the Asia Pacific Accreditation and Certification Commission. Incentives such as exemption from compliance audit, and scholarship allocation grants are given to STAR Awardees.