ARMM offers over 3,000 scholarship slots

COTABATO CITY – The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao ( TESDAARMM) announced the availability of 3,115 slots under two scholarship programs of the agency.

Atty. Rasol Mitmug Jr, the Office of the Regional Governor’s chief of staff and concurrent TESDA-ARMM officer-in-charge, said applications for the two programs, specifically the Private Education Student Financial Assistance (PESFA) and Training for Work Scholarship (TWSP), are now open to the public.

The scholarship programs are aimed at addressing equity and access by providing direct financial assistance to deserving enrollees. A total of 2,325 slots have been allocated under TWSP and 790 slots for PESFA.

The TESDA central office has earmarked P25 million for the two scholarship programs in the region. The TWSP provides immediate interventions to meet the need for highly critical skills. It has two objectives: To purposively drive TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) provision to available jobs through incentives and appropriate training programs that are directly connected to existing jobs for immediate employment, both locally and overseas; and to build and strengthen the capacity and capability of TVET institutions in expanding and improving the delivery of quality, efficient and relevant training programs that meet job requirements, including programs for higher levels of technology.

Target beneficiaries under this program include but not limited to the following: drug dependent surrenderers; out-of-school youths; those who are unemployed and underemployed; industry workers obtaining skills upgrading training programs; overseas Filipino workers and their dependents; basic and marginalized sectors; TVET trainers; and other targeted special groups.

PESFA, on the other hand, offers educational grants to qualified and deserving college freshmen both in degree and non-degree courses. The program seeks to: Extend financial assistance to marginalized but deserving students in postsecondary non-degree courses; promote TVET; contribute to the development of a competent skilled workforce; and assist private institutions in their development efforts by assuring a steady supply of enrollees to their course offerings.

Under this program, beneficiaries must have completed at least 10 years of basic education; at least 15 years old at the start of the training; have taken the NCAE (National Career Assessment Examination); have an annual family income of not more than P300,000; must not be a recipient of any post-grade 10 scholarship program; and must not have attended any post-secondary/college education program.

In October 2016, during the launching of the antipoverty agenda of President Rodrigo Duterte, TESDA Director General Guiling Mamondiong said out-ofschool youths and drug surrenderers are given priority in training courses offered by the agency.

“We are confident that these programs will help empower our people to become more productive members of society. These will give them opportunities through skills training that can either help them start a career, or a new business venture,” said the TESDA chief.

To avail themselves of the scholarship programs, applicants may visit the TESDA training office in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.