Pasig City (12 October) -- Education (DepEd) Secretary Jesli Lapus declared in his address to private secondary school administrators his intention to equip the high school students with technical-vocational skills during this year's 10th National Administrators Congress held in Iloilo City.

Tech-voc education in the secondary level is on top of the education chief's initiatives, which is in line with the poverty alleviation measure of the government.

Secretary Lapus emphasized the need to equip secondary school students with employable skills since not all high school graduates can pursue most secondary vocational and college education.

"We are highlighting the technical-vocational education track, through which we intend to equip our high school students with tech- voc skills that can empower them to find meaningful employment, whether or not they get college diplomas," Lapus stressed.

Earlier, Secretary Lapus revealed to business leaders and education stakeholders his plan to arm the high school students with certificates for technical and vocational skills training, alongside their high school diplomas. He said that with the aid of the business sector this initiative will work.

He added that this requires a paradigm shift in a country that values the college diploma more than life itself. He cited that students need to be given career counselling support. "Parents need to be informed and re-educated to appreciate alternatives to the college diploma."