THE COMMISSION on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) are backing the proposed modernization of their then 32-year-old charters.

This came after Senate Committee on Higher and Technical-Vocational Education Chairperson Senator Loren Legarda proposed the “long-overdue” update of the CHED and TESDA charters, which have been in place since 1994.

In a press conference, CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis said they have agreed with the lawmaker’s direction to modernize the legal framework to advance major education reforms.

“We already had the Senate hearing, and everything has been cleared. Marami pang (There are many), not only salient points but very important provisions in the law that were strengthened,” she said.

To expedite the process, they are now working under a technical working group (TWG) created by Legarda.

For his part, TESDA Secretary Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez said the TWG will also work even with the definitions outlined in the charter, which he now considers “blurry.”

“Anything that ranges from the definition of what TESDA provides, which, after the original mandate from 1994, had to do with middle-level skills. So, ngayon po dahil sa pagbabago ng world of work at pagbabago ng technology, hindi na ho malinaw (now with the changes in the world of work and changes in technology, it’s no longer clear),” he told reporters in a separate interview.

Definitions low- to high-level skills sets must be updated to be at par with current technological advances, Benitez added.

The TWG will also look into possible modifications of posts or the need for necessary positions for the agencies’ personnel.

“To make the TESDA charter at least more responsive to the new lifelong learning framework na may batas na rin (that already has a law), as well as to address the increase in our mandate and scope,” Benitez said.

The TESDA chief said they are eyeing to have the results of the review within the year. (PNA)