SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian stressed the need to address challenges on learners’ transition to employment or higher education as he lamented that the K to 12 law has failed to deliver on its promise to make graduates employable or college-ready.

Gatchalian lamented that a decade has passed since the enactment of the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 or the K to 12 law but graduates of the Technical-Vocational track are left at a dead end because they do not receive certifications.

The certification rate for the 473,911 TVL graduates for School Year 2020-2021 was only 6.8%. Out of the 32,965 who took the national certification for that school year, however, 31,993 or 97.1% passed the national certification.

Since the cost of getting a National Certificate I or NC II is a big problem for TVL graduates, Gatchalian proposed that the government shoulder the cost of certifying TVL graduates.

Gatchalian said that the DepEd, the Commission on Higher Education, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority should work more closely to ensure the smooth transition of senior high school graduates.

A tracer study by the DepEd revealed that top issues encountered by senior high school graduates who pursued higher education include difficulty and non-crediting of subjects.

“While some colleges and universities implement bridging programs, they entail additional costs for learners and their families,” Gatchalian said.