BALER, Aurora – The Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) launched One Education, a unified initiative aimed at creating seamless education and workforce pathways for Filipino learners, during a ceremony at the Senator Edgardo J. Angara Convention Center in Barangay Reserva, Baler, Aurora, on Friday.

The initiative was unveiled during the 3rd Joint Education Trifocal Management Committee Meeting as part of the government’s efforts to better integrate basic education, higher education, technical-vocational education, and workforce development.

Carrying the tagline “Maraming Landas, Isang Sistema. Para sa Bawat Pilipino,” One Education serves as the common brand and strategic communication platform of the country’s trifocal education system, making education opportunities easier for learners, families, schools, employers, and other stakeholders to understand and access.

The program supports President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to strengthen the Philippine education system by making learning pathways more connected, relevant, and responsive to the needs of learners, communities, and the labor market.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said One Education reflects the shared commitment of DepEd, CHED, and TESDA to make the country’s education system easier to understand and navigate.

“One Education reminds us that our learners’ dreams are interconnected. We need to build clearer bridges from basic education to higher education, technical-vocational training, employment, entrepreneurship, and lifelong learning,” Angara said.

CHED Chairperson Shirley C. Agrupis said the initiative will facilitate smoother transitions from senior high school and technical-vocational programs to higher education by recognizing learners’ prior academic and technical achievements.

“This ensures that no effort is wasted as we create a more direct and seamless pathway for learners to successfully transition into the modern workforce,” Agrupis said.

TESDA Secretary Kiko Benitez emphasized that the changing demands of the labor market require a more integrated education system that enables learners to acquire new skills, earn certifications, and pursue further studies.

“Regardless of the industry you want to enter or your educational background, there is now a clearer path toward achieving your goals,” Benitez said.

During the event, the three agencies also introduced the Education Reform Fellowship (ERF), a flagship program that will recruit, train, and mentor young professionals to support education and workforce development reforms.

Under the program, fellows will gain experience in policy development, program implementation, data analysis, stakeholder engagement, strategic communication, and inter-agency coordination.

The agencies likewise signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Analytiks Inc. for Project TAHANAN, a learner traceability and interoperability initiative designed to improve learner tracking across basic education, higher education, technical-vocational education, and workforce development.

Project TAHANAN aims to enable the secure and seamless sharing of learner data to support evidence-based policymaking, improve government programs, and strengthen learner support mechanisms throughout the education-to-workforce continuum.

DepEd, CHED, and TESDA said One Education, the Education Reform Fellowship, and Project TAHANAN collectively seek to make education reforms more accessible, strengthen institutional capacity, and improve data-driven decision-making toward building a more connected, learner-centered, and future-ready education system for every Filipino. (Jason de Asis)

TOP 📸: Education Secretary Sonny Angara led the launch of One Education during the 3rd Joint Education Trifocal Management Committee Meeting at the Senator Edgardo J. Angara Convention Center in Baler, Aurora. The initiative, together with CHED and TESDA, aims to create seamless pathways from basic education to higher education, technical-vocational training, and employment, while strengthening reforms for a more connected and future-ready Philippine education system. (Jason de Asis)