PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure that will include labor education in the higher education curriculum.

Under Republic Act 11551, also known as the Labor Education Act, learners will be taught basic knowledge on labor rights, skills for negotiation and for fostering interpersonal relations in the workplace and mechanisms for redress of grievances.

Under the law, all public and private higher education institutions shall integrate labor education as part of an elective course. They will also hold a Labor Empowerment and Career Guidance conference for graduating students.

The law mandates the Commission on Higher Education to develop a program to execute and implement the law.

It also seeks to include labor education in the technical and vocational education and training curriculum.

Meanwhile, TVIs offering short-term courses ranging from one month to less than one year are encouraged to integrate labor education in the modular program of the TVET curriculum.

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment, shall develop the appropriate modules of instructions and other relevant materials relating to labor education in TVIs.