Tesda, MSU ink pact vs poverty

THE Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) has a new partner in its drive to reduce poverty in Southern Philippines, the Mindanao State University (MSU) System.

In a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) signed by Tesda and MSU last month, the two have agreed to come up with strategies to fully utilize the potential of technical vocational education and training (TVET) to further develop available manpower resources as a means to pump prime Mindanao growth.

“A technical working group composed of Tesda and MSU will be looking into areas of collaboration. TVET is the answer to the issues that have plagued most places in the far south. We shall be introducing more opportunities for training in various skills that will go a long way in motivating and enabling the people in Mindanao,” said newly appointed Tesda Director General, Secretary Guiling “Gene” A. Mamondiong.

“I have no doubt that once our southern brothers and sisters have been given the right capabilities, a spark of inspiration will be lit among them and Mindanao will become the beacon of development and progress that it rightfully deserves to be,” he said.

MSU System President Dr. Habib W. Macaayong signed the MOC.

MSU has almost 70,000 students and some 3,000 faculty members. For more than half a century the MSU system has contributed greatly to the integration programs and has provided skills training for economic development.

It has 11 autonomous campuses in Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga Sibugay, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, and South Cotabato.