TESDA taps ITFP for ICT competency assessment

By Alexander Villafania, INQ7.net

THE GOVERNMENT'S Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has signed an agreement with the IT Foundation of the Philippines to become the foundation's lead assessor of information and communications technology competency.

This will be the first time TESDA will be assigned a formal ICT assessment role by a private organization, although ITFP has been a TESDA partner on several ICT programs.

The agreement is also expected to hasten plans to have 800,000 Filipino ICT workers in the country by 2010.

Under the memorandum of agreement (MOA), ITFP will be responsible for developing regulations such as qualifications, competency standards, training standards, and assessment arrangements. These regulations will be based on formats set by TESDA’s Philippine Technical-Vocational Education And Training Qualification and Certification System.

TESDA will be issuing ICT certifications.

TESDA deputy director General Mila Dawa-Hernandez said ITFP was the logical choice as their ICT industry working group on competency. TESDA needs to carry out its assessment functions based on industry requirements, she added.

Meanwhile ITFP President Amado Malacaman, Jr. said it was time for their office to take the next step--helping the government conduct its assessment functions particularly for the ICT industry.

“Assessment and certification has lagged behind in providing business and industry with an effective means of determining and ensuring the quality and competence of workers in the ICT area,” Malacaman said.

The ITFP is an umbrella organization of several other ICT groups, including the Philippine Software Industry Association, Philippine Computer Society, Computer Manufacturers, Distributors and Dealers Association of the Philippines, the Philippine Electronics and Telecommunications Federation, and the IT Association of the Philippines among others.