Entrepreneurship training considered for senior high school

VP and DepEd chief Sara Duterte meet Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion to discuss entrepreneurship in senior high school curriculum.

MANILA, Philippines —The Department of Education (DepEd) is considering the integration of entrepreneurship into the senior high school curriculum in a collaborative effort with Go Negosyo.

In a meeting Tuesday between Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte and Go Negosyo senior advisers led by its founder Joey Concepcion, they discussed various avenues to incorporate entrepreneurship skills into the school curriculum for senior high school students.

These avenues include direct mentoring by seasoned entrepreneurs and assistance from private companies, particularly those involved in the agriculture sector, said Concepcion.

“Our idea is if we open up this avenue to young people, there would be a way for them to find an alternative path to success,” Concepcion said.

He said not all families have the financial resources to support their children through the entirety of the current 13-year K-12 program, with an additional four years for higher education.

“We could help these young people find their path, focus on it, and maybe one day the students can turn it into a business,” Concepcion said, highlighting the success stories of entrepreneurs who did not pursue higher education.

During the discussions, multiple strategies for incorporating entrepreneurship into the curriculum were explored. These included established mentoring programs currently implemented by Go Negosyo, such as roadshows where successful entrepreneurs visit schools to mentor students and opportunities for students to observe mentoring sessions with active entrepreneurs.

Go Negosyo has a history of employing various methods to reach aspiring entrepreneurs, including events targeted at specific demographics such as women, youth, and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). They have also conducted thematic events, focusing on introducing Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to digital platforms and opportunities within the tourism sector.

Throughout the pandemic, the organization adapted its mentoring programs to social media and conferencing platforms, extending its reach to provinces and across the Asean region.

Duterte expressed her appreciation for Go Negosyo’s willingness to assist DepEd in improving agriculture and fisheries schools. She also suggested utilizing idle lands for teaching children basic gardening and farming skills.

The education chief also proposed that entrepreneurship mentoring become a part of co-curricular activities and stressed the importance of initiating preparatory activities before the enhanced senior high school curriculum is piloted in the upcoming school year. The feasibility of training teachers in entrepreneurship mentoring was also discussed.

Concepcion underscored the timeliness of introducing entrepreneurship training for senior high school students.

“We want to inspire the students to become entrepreneurs because we now have a more conducive environment, thanks to how social media and digital technology are bringing down so many barriers to entrepreneurship and making it more inclusive,” he said.

The meeting with VP Duterte included Go Negosyo Senior Advisers Engr. Merly Cruz, Josephine Romero, and Dr. William Dar, along with Executive Director Mina Akram. Representing DepEd were ASec. for Curriculum and Instruction Alma Ruby Torio and USec. Atty. Michael Wesley Poa.