By: Hazel Rose M. Zalameda
Pagsanjan sub-office sdo laguna
Pagsanjan integrated national high school
Our Senior High schools play a significant role in students’ acquisition of knowledge, skills, abilities, and behavior for them to be able to meet the demands and requirements of our society in specific jobs. Educators, along with the institution, also contribute to the development of learning activities in the school and the improvement of the curriculum; thus, producing competent individuals after graduating from K to 12. There are four tracks in the SHS program namely: 1) Academic, 2) Arts and Design, 3) Sports and 4) Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL). Among these, TVL is the strand that prepares the student for these exits: higher education, middle-level skills development, entrepreneurship, and employment.
TVL is one of the tracks for Senior High School students that offers tech-voc lessons. It is under the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 that adds additional 2 years in basic education. It has four strands: Agri-fishery Arts, Home Economics, Industrial Arts, and Information and Communications Technology (ICT). With employment as one of the exit points for SHS students, particularly in the Technical-Vocational Livelihood, most students prefer this track.
Students who complete a technical-vocational-livelihood skill can take a competency-based examination to obtain a National Certificate Level II (NC II) with our government’s hope that this will provide our learners with their middle-level skills and improve their chances of employability.
One of which is frequently to be taken by SHS learners is housekeeping. Upon definition, TVL housekeeping covers housekeeping services, preparing guestrooms, cleaning premises, providing valet or butler services, and laundering linen and guests’ clothes. Specialized topics include core concepts in housekeeping, the relevance of the course, and career opportunities as a room or cabin attendant. This course deals with the skills and knowledge required to provide housekeeping services to guests within the tourism industry.
Housekeeping is directly related to tourism as they are the ones who make sure that the guests are satisfied with their stay in a hotel. Without housekeeping, just imagine what would happen to the hotels. Being able to keep the guests satisfied is one of the crucial roles housekeepers must take into account.
With enough room for employment in cruise cabins, and hotel industries, and the lifting of restrictions, SHS students stand a fair chance of landing a job with proper skills acquired in the duration of their study. However, with these skills that our SHS learners have, one must still pursue more opportunities to improve their skills. To be competing with hundreds of aspiring employees, one must have an edge on what they can offer to the employers.
Nevertheless, as per a survey conducted by the online employment portal Jobstreet.com Philippines, companies are willing to hire K to 12 graduates. Only 24% of employers in the country expressed voluntarism to have K to 12 graduates in manufacturing, professional services, retail, machinery and equipment, and business process outsourcing (BPO).
As one who is in the education system, our main aim is to prepare these students to land their dream job or the job that would give them an edge in this life. We are fundamental in providing instructions, skills, and values to our learners. We invest time, effort, and money to make our learners become competitive applicants. This and all in the name of producing highly-qualified skilled individuals who can compete locally and globally.
