Philippines – DB TECH ASEAN: First year of EAO TVET networking

(ANS – Makati) – Fr Jose Dindo Vitug, a Filipino Salesian, is responsible for "Don Bosco Tech ASEAN", the body that coordinates Salesian Technical Vocational Education and Training Centres in Myanmar, the Philippines, East Timor, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. This is how this important Salesian network is described today and its future prospects.

What does 'TVET' mean? And how many Don Bosco TVETs are in our Region?

TVET stands for Technical Vocational Education and Training. As a Congregation, it is one of the most visible educational apostolates the SDBs are engaged in. It refers to our educational and skills training intervention to the poor and marginalised sector of our society. Through TVET, the poor young person gains employable skills which allows him/her to find suitable employment thus ending the cycle of poverty in the family. In ASEAN countries there are 41 Don Bosco TVETs and 15 in other EAO countries – 9 in the Pacific (Oceania), 2 in South Asia (Pakistan) and 2 in East Asia.

What are the main goals and strategies of the DB TECH ASEAN?

Our goal is to align ourselves with the Congregation’s Youth Ministry Frame work especially in the educational apostolate for the poor and underprivileged youth through our TVET. As a network of TVET institutions in the ASEAN region, we want to educate and evangelise the young through skills training and value formation. That would make them ready as industry workers imbued with the right attitude and work ethic thus ending the cycle of poverty and powerlessness.

This main goal is actualised through various strategies such as: (1) Upgrading the quality of our Technical Training Programs with continuous professional training to our teachers and improvement of equipment. (2) Increase cooperation and exchanges between the Don Bosco TVET centers in ASEAN region. (3) Strengthen linkages with related ASEAN and national government and NGOs. (4) Strong Advocacy in presenting TVET education as a viable alternative to a university degree. (5) Become an active influencer in the national and international TVET policies.

What are your dreams for DB TECH ASEAN?

First dream - To be a functioning and empowered “ONE ASEAN Network”. In fact, there is a great advantage of working interdependently due to the variety and richness of each 35 TVET Center across the ASEAN network. The latent power of 35 TVET centers has strong potentials for growth, strong advocacy to policy makers, sharing of expertise and positive influence among TVET stakeholders.

Second dream - To become Benchmark in Technical education. In certain areas, this “good standing” has become a reason for complacency and stagnation in our works. With the establishment of DB TECH ASEAN, the Salesians are again placed at the forefront of revitalising our TVET centers as one of the means to bring about transformation to poor young people.

Source: AustraLasia

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