Labor Education Integration Remains Unimplemented
Four years after the passage of the law mandating labor education in tertiary institutions, the integration of labor education into college curricula remains unfulfilled, sources reported. This delay continues despite the Labor Education Act’s enactment in May 2021.
Kamanggagawa party-list Representative Eli San Fernando highlighted this issue during a recent House committee hearing on higher and technical education. He urged the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to clarify the reasons behind the slow implementation of labor education integration in colleges and universities.
Background on the Labor Education Act
The law, officially known as Republic Act 11551, was signed by then-President Rodrigo Duterte on May 27, 2021. It requires universities and colleges to incorporate labor education as an elective subject within the general education curriculum.
CHED Executive Director Atty. Cinderella Filipina Benitez-Jaro explained that the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the law have already been drafted. “We have already crafted the IRR of that law. There were several issues also that were discussed, taking into account how we will be able to integrate that labor education into the general education curriculum or into professional courses in specific programs,” she said.
Disagreements Among Government Agencies
However, Benitez-Jaro revealed that while the Department of Justice has provided feedback on the IRR, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) disagrees with CHED’s approach. “They want to have a standalone subject for the labor education,” she disclosed.
DOLE insists that certain labor concepts be integrated as a separate, dedicated course rather than embedded within existing general education subjects. This disagreement has contributed to delays in finalizing the curriculum and rolling out labor education nationwide.
Impact on Students and Workers
Rep. San Fernando emphasized that the postponement in implementing labor education weakens students’ ability to understand and assert their rights once they enter the workforce. In his privilege speech on August 20, he remarked, “Signed into law on May 27, 2021, the Labor Education Act was supposed to be a ray of hope in capacitating, upskilling, and empowering students as future participants in the labor market, institutionalizing labor rights education into formal education.”
He added, “Every worker passing through tertiary education who finds themselves unable to assert their rights in the workplace represents a failure of the state. What use do we have for labor rights if knowledge about them is so hard to reach?”
San Fernando further urged the government to fulfill its responsibility to protect workers. “The state must fulfill its duty to promote workers’ rights, equip them with confidence, and amplify their voices so that their rights are not just mere words on paper but living, tangible protections,” he stressed.
Next Steps for Labor Education
Community members and education officials alike await the resolution of inter-agency discussions to finalize the curriculum framework. The successful integration of labor education is seen as crucial to empowering future Filipino workers with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate their rights and responsibilities in the labor market.
For more news and updates on labor education, visit Filipinokami.com.
