Rethinking Vocational Education in the Philippines: Does It Really Lead to Higher Wages?

Vocational Education: An International Perspective

“…Estimated returns to vocational education in Asia are highly inconsistent across and even within settings. Olfindo (2018) finds similar labor-market outcomes between individuals with vocational secondary education and those with a general secondary education in the Philippines. In Singapore, vocational secondary education is associated with a sizably higher private rate of return for women, but for men, the reverse is true (Sakellariou, 2003).…”

The Impact of Vocational Training on Labor Market Outcomes in the Philippines

“…Thus, these individuals can be considered low attainers in both TVET and tertiary education. The idea that when TVET is added to tertiary education, it penalizes an individual in terms of wages, as suggested by Olfindo (2018), may be a bit strong when considering the educational paths of these individuals. The second method used is PSM, which matches individuals in the control and treatment groups.…”

“…However, men selected received lower wages, although the result was not significant. Olfindo (2018) studied the impact of vocational education on wages in the private sector, using labor force survey data from the Philippines for 2015. About 80% of those who received TVET did so at the post-secondary level.…”

China-ASEAN Qualifications Framework: Pathways to mutual recognition

“…Moreover, discrimination within the education system limits opportunities for minority groups, contributing to higher dropout rates [46] . Both Myanmar and the Philippines face challenges in terms of vocational education teachers lacking adequate subject-specific training [46,47] . Furthermore, due to limited domestic labor market opportunities, learners tend to seek employment abroad.…”

“…Furthermore, due to limited domestic labor market opportunities, learners tend to seek employment abroad. A survey conducted in the Philippines revealed that 76.4% of respondents preferred seeking employment overseas [47] . Therefore, policymakers in these regions must pay close attention to creating a supportive policy environment to ensure the effective establishment of a national TVET framework.…”