Senate OKs bill on entrepreneurship teaching in schools

Sen. Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV. INQUIRER.net file photo

MANILA, Philippines–The Senate on Wednesday approved on final reading a bill that would require the teaching of entrepreneurship subjects in elementary, high school and college as well as in alternative learning schools.

Under the Youth Entrepreneurship Act of 2014, the Department of Education (DepEd), in cooperation with learning organizations and local governments, would be tasked with developing entrepreneurship subjects and integrating these into the curriculum.

The same task would be performed by the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).

To give budding entrepreneurs a boost, the DepEd, CHEd and Tesda would also provide an avenue for private corporations, banks, foundations and private individuals who may want to help postsecondary school students or graduates set up their own business ventures.

Being their own bosses

The bill requires government agencies and government financial institutions to allocate 25 percent of their micro, small and medium enterprise programs for young entrepreneurs.

“As the number of unemployed youth in the country grows each year, we really have to create new ways of thinking how to address the epidemic,” said Sen. Bam Aquino, sponsor of the bill.

“Through training and exposure, young people would have the option of choosing to be their own bosses or start their own businesses, instead of being an employee for a company that is not their own,” he said.