The ultimate goal is to align the country’s senior high school system with the modern needs of the industry.
At Mariano Marcos Memorial High School in Manila on Tuesday, July 21, Education Secretary Sonny Angara and Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong formally launched the Education Quality for Inclusive Prosperity (EQUIP) program.
According to officials, the said formal launch is the culmination of several years of design, legal review, and authorization processes between the two countries.
The said five-year-long initiative, which is worth PHP1.6 billion (AUD40 million) is part of the Philippines-Australia Strategic Partnership formally adopted by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in September 2023.
This program implements the Australia-Philippines Development Partnership Plan 2024–2029 through direct action to promote the key socio-economic objectives of the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028.
EQUIP aims to promote inclusive economic growth by helping graduating Senior High School graduates become job-ready, technically proficient, adaptable to a rapidly changing market, and address the skills shortage.
Under this strategy, a revamped work immersion program will be implemented, which will leverage the expertise of renowned Australian institutions such as Melbourne Polytechnic, The Gordon Institute, and the Australian Council for Educational Research in Philippine schools.
At the same time, industry leaders will be involved in developing training programs that are aligned with the immediate needs of priority sectors such as construction, healthcare, ICT, tourism, transport and logistics, and manufacturing.
There will also be foundational literacy and mathematics modules for students who need remedial support, along with capability training for teachers and the use of new unified data dashboards for better alignment with industries.
EQUIP will also pioneer streamlined certification models that will directly integrate technical-vocational-livelihood (TVL) pathways into formal secondary education, building on the operational efficiencies achieved between the Department of Education (DepEd) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
The flagship initiative will be implemented by DepEd and TESDA from 2025 to 2030, with the potential an extension by an additional AUD20 million for the next three years — which will bring the total investment to AUD60 million over eight years to 2033.
Secretary Angara noted, “Through this partnership, let us continue building an education system that equips our learners with the competencies, confidence, and character they need to succeed in the future they deserve.”
Meanwhile, Australia Foreign Affairs Minister Wong told, “The EQUIP Program will support the Philippines government to improve and enhance the quality of senior high schools. It will help ensure that graduates are well prepared for their future whether in continuing education or in seeking employment.”
The National Capital Region (NCR) will serve as a priority area for the first year of implementation.
Five schools have been selected as the initial pilot sites: Mariano Marcos Memorial High School (Manila), Lagro High School and Batasan Hills National High School (Quezon City), Dalandanan National High School (Valenzuela City), and Don Arcadio Santos National High School (Parañaque City).
