Firms urged to help fortify tourism programs for SHS

CEBU, Philippines — To fortify the implementation of the Turo-Turismo program, a tourism-focused Senior High School program, a group is pushing for the partnership between the industry and the Department of Education through the joint delivery program (JDP).

The Turo-Turismo was conceptualized as a responsive and experiential approach designed for the 21st century learners to prepare SHS students for employment and entrepreneurship and set them to pursue higher education related to tourism courses.

The Coalition for Better Education (CBE) recently organized a tourism industry forum, which aimed at providing groundwork for its successful implementation, in Cebu City.

CBE, a membership-based organization founded by the Aboitiz Foundation, Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc, and Philippine Business for Social Progress in 2001, stressed the importance of the program, citing that tourism sector is among the top key job generators in Central Visayas.

According to CBE, Cebu province, in particular, creates an influx of millions of local and international tourists every year whose needs for accommodation, food, and entertainment entail thorough attention and service.

“The tourism industry’s ability to continue generating growth consequently leads to the creation of more jobs and is dependent on whether it recognizes and adapts to the increasing demand of a quality workforce that can deliver excellent client service and satisfaction,” read the press statement.

CBE recently inked partnership with the Asia Foundation, under their Coalition for Change program which aims to link the interest of local governments, industry associations and DepEd by organizing partnership at national and local levels that help align basic education, formal and non-formal, to community needs and goals, and promote meaningful employment and inclusive development.

Under CfC, the project dubbed as “Turo-Turismo” was developed and piloted in Bohol province in 2015.

For the program to be successfully implemented, CBE is seeking the partnership and support of the industry by accepting teachers and students to be immersed in their companies for a total of 120 hours; and by sharing of industry standards to come up with effective training plans and learning resource materials for teachers that are aligned with industry-required competencies and are industry-based.

So far, at least 53 teachers underwent industry immersion.

Turo-Turismo has six areas of specialization, such as housekeeping, food and beverages, cookery, front desk, electrical installation and maintenance, and carpentry.

 CBE Executive Director Marilou Flores said they had coordination meetings with DepEd-7 and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority on strengthening the implementation of the program.

She said there were also initial talks about the alignment of policies and standards for an enhance SHS program, particularly on the technical-vocational-livelihood (TVL) track, as well as collaborative policies on student and teacher assessment.

Moreover, the group is also pushing for the creation of a regional training center in Siquijor for all tourism-related competencies.  — PIT Intern/KBQ (FREEMAN)