3 WV provinces to pilot test entrepreneurship program
Selected public schools in three provinces of Western Visayas are included in the pilot areas of the new program launched by the Department of Education (DepEd) to help promote entrepreneurship in the country, according to Director Dennis Arroyo of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) for National Planning and Policy.
Arroyo said, the program dubbed "Know About Business" aims to teach entrepreneurship to high school students nationwide. In Western Visayas, this will be pilot-tested in selected public schools in Iloilo, Guimaras, and Negros Occidental.
Other pilot areas identified are Batangas, Rizal, Dumaguete City, Cebu, Dalisay City, Davao City, Cotabato City and Metro Manila. Likewise, some private schools in the National Capital Region were included in the pilot testing.
Arroyo said the curriculum was prepared by the DepEd based on an International Labor Organization module.
"It's quite helpful for employment because it teaches them to create new jobs rather than apply for jobs from other people", Arroyo said.
In helping the underemployed, NEDA proposed the promotion of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and making it a more focused policy.
NEDA noted that entrepreneurship not only allows coping with rising costs but also has the potential for raising employment.
The development of three million new small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by 2010 that can generate 6-10 million new jobs within the six-year period is foremost in the 10 point economic agenda of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
(PIA)