TESDA and KCFI Enter Partnership to Advance Early Childhood Development Training in the Philippines
By Rebelyn Beyong
TAGUIG CITY — To strengthen the workforce behind the country’s youngest learners, the Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. (KCFI) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) formally inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on December 12 to advance Early Childhood Development (ECD) training in the Philippines. The signing was held at the TESDA Central Office in Taguig City. Under the partnership, KCFI will assist TESDA by providing content expertise and industry specialists, enhance its Knowledge Channel Childhood Care and Education (KCARE) and Upskilling programs, and deliver TESDA-aligned, competency-based training to strengthen the skills and qualifications of Child Development Workers nationwide.
A pathway to professionalization
The partnership comes on the heels of the passage of RA 12199, or the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) System Act, and TESDA’s issuance of Training Regulations for ECCD Services Level 3. KCFI President and Executive Director Rina Lopez highlighted that the partnership offers a clear pathway for CDWs to attain National Certificate (NC) III certification. "Through NC3 certification, they can look forward to regular employment, higher pay, and security of tenure," Lopez said during the signing. "They shape our youngest citizens. They deserve dignity, recognition, and strong institutional backing."
Curriculum and micro-credentials
The two organizations will collaborate on the design and development of learning materials for the TESDA Online Program (TOP). The partnership also covers the review and updating of the Barangay Health Services (BHS) program to include early childhood competencies. Furthermore, the parties agreed to register micro-credential programs that can lead to higher qualifications in early childhood development and caregiving.
TESDA Director General Sec. Jose Francisco "Kiko" Benitez emphasized the critical nature of this intervention. "By collaborating to update training standards, develop competency tools, and accredit transformative learning programs, we are equipping both the learners and, perhaps even more importantly, the educators for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow," Benitez stated.
Building on a working model
This collaboration builds on a successful pilot run in Baras, Rizal, where KCFI launched a six-month certificate program earlier this year. Currently, 49 CDWs in the municipality are completing a program combining video modules and mentoring, preparing them for TESDA assessment. Beyond curriculum development, the partnership also covers the broadcast and distribution of these training materials across Knowledge Channel’s on-air, online, and offline platforms to reach remote municipalities.
The signing was also witnessed by TESDA’s Deputy Director General for Partnerships and Linkages Nella Nita Dillera and KCFI’s Vice President Edric Calma. “Our shared vision is simple but powerful: that every Filipino child is healthy, loved, and ready to learn, and that every worker who nurtures them is valued, trained, and supported,” Lopez concluded.
With this partnership in place, TESDA and KCFI ensure that CDCs in even the most remote barangays are equipped with professionalized staff and quality learning resources.