One Education boosts learner support, expands job pathways

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) are expanding opportunities for Filipino learners through One Education, a program that aims to strengthen learner support and provide more flexible pathways across education, skills training and employment.

During the Fourth Joint Education Trifocal Management Committee (JETMC4) meeting in Dumaguete City, the three agencies highlighted the Learning Initiatives for Nurturing Guidance Associates and Counselors (LINGAP) Program. They also launched the Localized Access Pathways and Institutional Transitions (LAPIT) Index and the Integrated Ladderized Education-to-Employment Pathways (ILEEP).

LINGAP provides graduate scholarships for DepEd teaching and nonteaching personnel pursuing studies in guidance, counseling and psychology. The LAPIT Index is a tool that collects data to identify gaps in learners’ education pathways. ILEEP, meanwhile, is a system designed to offer alternative routes from education to employment beyond the traditional four-year college path.

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The Education and Workforce Development Group (EWDG) is driving One Education’s efforts to align education and workforce priorities. It brings together government agencies involved in education, labor, economic planning and workforce development to translate cross-sector priorities into coordinated reforms and programs.

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READ: DepEd, CHED, Tesda launch One Education to accelerate education, reforms

As part of JETMC4, DepEd and CHEd formally recognized nine LINGAP scholars from the Negros Island Region. The joint scholarship initiative supports the graduate education and professional development of DepEd teaching and nonteaching personnel to increase the number of qualified guidance professionals and strengthen learner support services in schools.

For academic year 2026-2027, LINGAP opened 870 scholarship slots, with a total appropriation of P182.055 million. DepEd has endorsed 230 scholars to CHED so far.

“It is important to ensure that students have access to mental health professionals who can help support their mental health and well-being. Through LINGAP, we are not only supporting the professional development of our personnel but also strengthening the support system that our learners need,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.

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CHEd Chairperson Shirley Agrupis likewise emphasized the role of higher education in preparing more qualified guidance professionals and addressing gaps in learner support through closer collaboration with DepEd.

“We need more qualified guidance professionals in our schools who can listen, understand, and respond to the different challenges our students face. Higher education has an important role in preparing these professionals,” Agrupis said.

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“Through LINGAP, we are investing in the professional growth of DepEd personnel by preparing them for dedicated roles in guidance and counseling, and ultimately, in the future of the learners they will serve,” she added.

The three agencies also introduced the LAPIT Index, which aims to identify gaps in learners’ access to education across senior high schools (SHSs), technical-vocational institutions (TVIs) and higher education institutions (HEIs).

The index will assess four core pillars from the perspectives of students and school heads: proximity, diversity, capacity and maturity. The data will help identify areas where learners have limited educational options and examine the factors influencing their choices.

LAPIT will be integrated with Project TAHANAN, an initiative that tracks learners’ journeys through different stages of education. Project TAHANAN was launched during JETMC3 on July 17 in Baler, Aurora, where the three education agencies signed a memorandum of agreement with Analytiks Inc.

Once integrated, the two systems will provide data on education pathways and migration patterns, allowing policymakers to develop targeted interventions and provide appropriate support to communities. The initiative aims to make education pathways more accessible and seamless for learners.

Meanwhile, DepEd, CHEd and Tesda launched ILEEP to give Filipinos more flexible routes between education, skills training and employment.

Led by the EWDG, ILEEP will bring together SHSs, TVIs, HEIs and industry partners to link learners to employment opportunities. Learners will be able to develop competencies for employment while retaining opportunities to pursue further training or higher education, including through the recognition and crediting of prior learning.

For example, a learner can study data analytics in senior high school and begin working as an associate data analyst after graduation. The learner can then pursue further training at a TVI to become a data analyst or earn a college degree to become a business intelligence analyst. Some previously acquired competencies may be credited, allowing the learner to graduate sooner.

These ladderized pathways will allow learners to choose options that best suit their circumstances and career goals.

READ: Marcos: P19-B Tesda fund to expand skills training

Pilot programs will focus on priority industries, including digital technology, advanced manufacturing, health care, financial services and tourism. The EWDG also identified agriculture and the creative industries as sectors needing attention.

Tesda Secretary Kiko Benitez underscored the importance of ensuring that education and training lead to meaningful opportunities while giving Filipinos greater flexibility in pursuing their education and careers.

“This proves that ‘Training to Trabaho’ is not just a catchphrase but the guiding principle behind the reforms we are introducing in the education sector,” Benitez said.

“Programs like ILEEP allow us to provide seamless occupational pathways that will allow workers and learners to move from basic education, higher education, and tech-voc toward employment, business, or whatever gainful career they so desire.”

“We owe it to Filipinos to give them many ways, many chances for them to succeed,” Benitez added.

The ILEEP pilot programs will also strengthen the role of industry in identifying needed competencies, improving curricula and work immersion, and connecting qualified graduates with employers. Lessons from the pilots will help inform recommendations for expanding and institutionalizing the pathways.

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Together, LINGAP, LAPIT and ILEEP reflect the direction of One Education: a more connected education and workforce system that offers multiple pathways for Filipinos to receive support, develop skills, enter the workforce and continue learning throughout their lives.