EDUCATION Secretary Sonny Angara highlighted the importance of industry partnerships and bilateral relations in enhancing the country’s basic education system.

“It’s a very intriguing and promising event,” Angara said in his opening remarks at the “Day of the Future,” an event organized by the Embassy of Switzerland. The annual event in Switzerland gives Grades 5 to 7 students opportunities for career exposure through field trips.

“I think the children who will participate, over 300, will not forget today. And perhaps it opens a path for the DepEd to have similar events in the future in different localities,” Angara added.

Following its inaugural run last year, this year’s Day of the Future allowed selected Grades 5, 6, and 7 students to visit workplaces and professional environments, including the Swiss Embassy in Makati City.

At the event’s press conference, Angara stressed the need to strengthen the Senior High School curriculum, aiming to provide students with clear pathways toward employment, entrepreneurship, and technical-vocational careers. He also reaffirmed DepEd’s commitment to forging closer industry connections to align educational competencies with labor market demands.

Meanwhile, the Swiss Embassy highlighted its approach to vocational training and emphasized the social responsibility initiatives of Swiss companies in the Philippines, promoting collaboration to support Sustainable Development Goal 1: Ending Poverty.