DM No.034 s 2021: CREATION OF THE DEPED PHILIPPINE QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK (PQF)COMMITTEE

DepEd MEMORANDUM
No. 034 , s. 2021

CREATION OF THE DEPED PHILIPPINE QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK (PQF)COMMITTEE

To: Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Minister, Basic, Higher, and Technical Education, BARMM
Bureau and Service Directors
Regional Directors
Schools Division Superintendents
Public and Private Elementary and Secondary School Heads All Others Concerned

1. In recognition of the important role of education and training in national development, Republic Act 10968, entitled "An Act Institutionalizing the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF), Establishing the PQF-National Coordinating Council (NCC) and appropriating funds therefor", or the "Philippine Qualifications Framework Act"l was approved on January 16, 2018.

2. As articulated in the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Act, the PQF has the following objectives:

a. To adopt national standards and levels of learning outcomes of education, which shall cover formal, informal, and nonformal education;

b. To support the development and maintenance of pathways and equivalences that enable access to qualifications, and to assist individuals to move easily and readily between the different education and training sectors, and between these sectors and the labor market; and

c. To align domestic qualification standards with the international qualifications framework thereby enhancing recognition of the value and the comparability of Philippine qualifications and supporting the mobility of Filipino students and workers.

3. In order to harmonize and promote a seamless education and training system, the said law established the Philippine Qualifications Framework-National Coordinating Council (PQF-NCC) with the Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) as Chairperson. The PQF-NCC has the following powers and functions:

a. To harmonize qualification levels across basic, technical-vocational and higher education;

b. To align education standards and learning outcomes with the level descriptors contained in the PQF;

c. To promote the PQF and its elements, including the principles, key features, definitions or terminologies, structure, and governance arrangements, and to provide information and guidelines in the implementation of the PQF;

d. To rationalize the quality assurance mechanisms in Philippine education;

e. To develop and recognize pathways and equivalencies;

f. To maintain the national registry of qualifications;

g. To ensure the international alignment of the PQF with the qualification frameworks of other countries or regions;

h. To create technical working groups in support of the development and implementation of the PQF;

i. To represent the country in international fora or negotiations in line with qualifications agreements or arrangements;

j. To review and update the PQF;

k. To submit to the Office of the President, the Senate of the Philippines, the House of Representatives an updated report on the progress and accomplishments in relation to the PQF; and

1. To perform such other functions that may be related to the implementation of the PQF.

4. In support to its role in the PQF-NCC, the DepEd hereby creates the DepEd PQF Committee, which shall ensure a well-coordinated, collaborative, sustained, and active engagement by DepEd in PQF processes and implementation.

5. The DepEd PQF Committee shall be composed of the following DepEd Officials:

Chair: Assistant Secretary for Curriculum and Instruction
Co-Chair: Assistant Secretary for Alternative Learning System

Members
Designated representative of the Office of the Secretary
Director of the International Cooperation Office
Director of the Bureau of Curriculum Development
Director of the Bureau of Education Assessment
Director of the Bureau of Learning Delivery
Director of the Bureau of Learning Resources
Director of the Bureau of Human Resources and
Organizational Development
Director of the Planning Service
Director of the Information and Communications Service

Director of the Legal Service
Director of the Bureau of Alternative Education
Director of the National Educators' Academy of the Philippines

One (1) Regional Director for each of the Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao Clusters, as identified by the Undersecretary for Field Operations

6. The DepEd PQF Committee shall have the following functions:

a. To provide support to the Secretary in the performance of the responsibilities as Chairperson of the PQF-NCC through internal consultations and research, as may be necessary;

b. To provide guidance and direction to the Lifelong Learning Working Group, in DepEd's capacity as its co-Chair;

c. To ensure DepEd representation in all working groups of the PQFNCC;

d. To develop and implement a work plan and agenda for DepEd's participation in PQF-NCC and its working groups; and

e. To perform such other functions as may be assigned by the Secretary.

7. Consistent with the IRR of the PQF Act, DepEd shall be represented in the following working groups:

a. Qualifications Register Working Group. The Qualifications Register (QR) Working Group shall establish and maintain the Qualifications Register, which is the national database of quality assured qualifications authorized under the PQF. It shall perform related functions, including the following:

i. Maintain and update the database of professional, skilled and other recognized qualifications; ii. Coordinate with relevant agencies or institutions for the inclusion of their respective qualifications in the register; iii. Provide information to employers, trainers and trainees, and other stakeholders on education and training opportunities, assessment and certifications, and/or licensure, in professional, skilled and other recognized qualifications; iv. Maintain quality assurance of the Registry; and

v. Perform other functions as may be assigned by the PQF-NCC.

b. Quality Assurance Working Group. The Quality Assurance (QA) Working Group shall:

i. Provide information on the quality assurance system of the various subsectors of Philippine education and training system; ii. Initiate studies and submit recommendations to the PQFNCC on current quality assurance systems on the four key processes of the following:

(1) Registration of education and training providers;

(2) Supervision of assessment systems that lead to the award of qualifications;

(3) Accreditation of qualifications; and

(4) Regulation of the issuance of certificates.

iii. Initiate studies and submit recommendations to the PQF-

NCC on the alignment of the quality assurance standards of Philippine education and training system to international QA standards.

iv. Perform other functions as may be assigned by the PQFNCC.

c. Pathways and Equivalencies Working Group. The Pathways and Equivalencies (PE) Working Group shall support and assist the PQFNCC in facilitating the development and implementation of pathways and equivalency systems. It shall perform related functions, including:

i. Recommend to the PQF-NCC pathways and equivalency system and access ramps for seamless education transfer and/or career progression between education levels corresponding to the PQF levels; ii. Develop a national system of credit transfer;

iii. Recommend facilitative actions for the enhancement and adoption of the Ladderized Education Program consistent with the PQF; and iv. Perform other functions as may be assigned by the PQF-NCC.

d. Information and Guidelines Working Group. The Information and Guidelines (IG) Working Group shall ensure access to information on PQF implementation. It shall perform related functions, including:

i. Develop a communication plan for implementation of information activities geared towards promotion, advocacy, and the effective socialization of the PQF; ii. Develop information, education and communication (IEC) materials to promote and advocate PQF; iii. Disseminate important guidelines, circulars, and policy issuance on the PQF to stakeholders and the general public; and iv. Perform other functions as may be assigned by the PQF-NCC.

International Alignment Working Group. The International Alignment (IA) Working Group shall initiate comparability and benchmarking activities of the PQF with other countries and regional/international groupings; and perform other functions as may be assigned by the PQFNCC.

f. Government-Industry-Education Sector Working Group. The Government-Industry-Education Sector (GIE) Working Group shall be responsible for facilitating coordination and linkages among government, industry, and the education sector and academic/research community on cross-cutting issues towards making PQF responsive and relevant to the broader economy and society. It shall perform related functions, including:

i. Recommend strateU and direction, map priorities and gaps; ii. Initiate studies, provide platforms for consultations, formulate recommendations;

111. Promote GIE initiatives that will enhance the impact of the PQF on employment, upgrading of the economic sectors, and enhancement of the knowledge and productivity of workers; and iv. Perform other functions as may be assigned by the PQFNCC.

g. The Lifelong Learning Working Group. The Lifelong Learning (LL) Working Group shall have the following functions:

i. Initiate research and consultation on lifelong learning; ii. Compile and disseminate information on lifelong learning through database, conferences, and symposia; iii. Initiate studies and pilot programs for the recognition of lifelong learning within the PQF; and iv. Perform such other functions as may be assigned by the PQF-NCC.

The DepEd PQF Committee shall constitute internal sub-committees to facilitate DepEd's work in each of the working groups enumerated above.

8. To ensure that the agreements in meetings are documented, the International Cooperation Office (ICO) shall serve as Secretariat of the Committee.

9. The Committee is instructed to convene immediately and to prepare Strategic Working and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) plans for submission to the Secretary.

10. Expenses utilized in the activities, meetings, and other initiatives of the Committee shall be charged to the funds of the Office of the Secretary, subject to the usual government accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

11. Immediate dissemination of this Memorandum is desired.

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Source:https://www.deped.gov.ph/

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