To: Bureau Directors
Regional Directors
Presidents, State Colleges and Universities
Heads of Private Schools, Colleges and Universities
Vocational School Superintendents/Administrators

1. This Office, recognizing the need for an effective middle-level manpower equipped with the desired knowledge, skills and values for employment and entrepreneurial concern for the various trade industry and service technology, has approved the inclosed policies and minimum standards for the Certificate and Diploma Courses in Trade and Industrial Technical Education. These are market-oriented programs which have been developed through a series of consultation meetings with academe and industry using the DACUM method in curriculum development. Such method employs the job analysis approach in coming up with a competency profile for a specific job or occupational title under-each of the trade industrial and service technology included in this program. Experts from industry practicing in the various technology areas were consulted to identify the competencies in their respective occupations. The resulting competency profile which reflects the industry requirements was the basis for the development of the curriculum and instructional materials which are in modular form.
2. The most important feature of the new program is the adoption of the Competency-Based Vocational Education (CBVE) training system wherein a competency framework related to a cluster of occupations as defined by industry standards shall establish the reference point for the acquisition of students in a self-paced, learner-centered system. Such an approach allows for greater flexibility since the learning process is not time-bound but performance-based. It is designed to suit the individual capabilities of the students where mastery of the tasks and performance standards demanded by the job are the goals and bases for assigning marks. The progress of the students is measured against these standards which are indicated in the performance assessment instrument provided in each learning element. Any student who fails to reach or meet the criteria set for the task to be learned has to repeat the process until the desired level of competence and mastery is attained. The process is repeated as a final check through the Technician Competency Skills Test (TCST), a national achievement test conducted at the end of every school year for technician and craftsman levels. In this regard, competency is defined as the ability to complete a trade-related task safely to the performance standard set by industry without direct supervision. Competencies in the new design as shown in the paradigm are classified by levels. The first level or first year as Operator, second level or second year as Craftsman and the third level or third year as Technician. Each level has an equivalent occupational title(s) in which the graduates may be employed. The curricular program is designed in such a way that the student, upon completion of the first level or second level, has the option of going to industry for employment or continuing with the next higher level. Each level, therefore, is sufficiently provided with more hands-on components to accommodate this option. The basic delivery mode shall consist of modules which correspond to specific job titles, duties, tests and the corresponding performance criteria to be set.
   
3. The new curricular program shall be taken normally for a duration of three (3) years by those who are admitted to train for technician level courses. Those who are preparing for craftsman o operator level occupations may be awarded certificates after satisfactorily passing a performance test for the targetted level. The new curriculum shall allow for multiple entry and exit points due to the innovative delivery system, i.e. modules to accommodate students’ requirements. Such provision is intended for those who are preparing for entry level jobs or for those who may wish to reenter the school system for purposes of upgrading their skills or acquiring specific competencies. Any student claiming possession of prior competencies for a particular job or duty and who may want to seek accreditation of such competencies, must pass the corresponding performance test. The basis of the performance test shall be the National Skills Framework issued under separate cover which is standard throughout the country for proficiency levels demanded by industry.
4. There shall be four (4) specialization areas and nine (9) major courses with time allotment for each level per week as follows:
   

   	OPERATOR			CRAFTSMAN			TECHNICIAN
   Mechanical Technology major in:	Semester Sum.			Semester Sum.			Semester Sum.
   Automotive Technology	1st	2nd	SIT	1st	2nd	SIT	1st	2nd	SIT
   Welding & Fabrication	33	33	280	22	29	280	33	720	280
   Ref & Airconditioning	33	30	280	24	24	280	31	720	280
   Metal Working Tech.	30	30	280	20	27	280	36	720	280
   Metal Casting Tech.	33	33	280	21	24	280	34	720	280
   Civil Technology major in:
   Building Construction	30	30	280	21	27	280	720
   Furniture & Cabinet Making	34	36	280	23	28	280	33	720	280
   Electrical Technology	32	33	280	22	29	280	36	720	280
   Electronics Technology	31	31	280	24	26	280	34	720	280

   The new curriculum is structured so that the average theory and practicum mix for all courses is 25:75 where 25 is the percentage for the theory component and 75 is the percentage for the practical or technology component. This means that any student enrolled under this program, shall now have more exposure to actual competency development as prescribed by the industry with a minimum of related subjects taught separately from the technology subjects. A student shall likewise undergo supervised industrial training (SIT) in industry for a total of 1560 hours to be taken each summer break after each year level and during the second semester of the technician level. This is intended to reinforce skills acquired in the school shop and to enable the student to experience real-life work conditions in industry itself. There shall be seven (7) tool subjects to be taught as separate subjects in the craftsman level as follows:
   1st Semester / Hours Per Week
   Technical Drawing (Basic Working Drawing) / 2
   Technical English (Technical Writing & Reporting) / 2
   Applied Science-Physics (Mechanics and Heat) / 3
   Applied Science – (Properties of Materials) / 3
   Total — 10
   2nd Semester
   Technical Drawing II (Details & Assembly Drawing) / 2
   Workshop Mathematics / 2
   Work Ethics (Ind’l. Values & Employment Orientation) / 2
   Total — 6
   Administrators, at the recommendation of technology teachers, may rearrange the sequencing of these subjects or may move or transfer any of them to any year level when the need arises, e.g. beefing up the time allotment of practical subjects in earlier years to prepare for fielding students to companies, which may necessitate delaying tool subjects to upper years. As a general rule, no tool subjects shall be scheduled at the operator level. This is in keeping with the policy that students enrolled in technical vocational courses should be able to learn a trade in the first year. Theories and principles deemed necessary at the operator (first year) and technician (third year) levels, shall be embedded in the technology as taught by the technology teacher himself.

5. All technical vocational education institutions (TVEIs) who will offer this curricular program are expected to meet the minimum requirements for faculty, instructional equipment and consumables. Since it is nearly impossible to substantially meet the above-mentioned minimum requirements solely from government provision, schools are expected to maintain functional linkage with private companies and/or industrial establishments in order that practicum may be conducted in the companies themselves. This arrangement shall preclude the need to establish specialized shops with heavy equipment in the schools.
6. Selected as model schools to implement the new program shall be the nine (9) technician education institutes (TEIs) assisted under the Philippines-Australia Technical Vocational Education Project (PATVEP) and 12 technician education institutions who were recipients under the Technical Vocational Education Project (TVEP). The schedule for implementation of the new curriculum is as follows:
   Level I Operator Level – SY 1994-1995
   Level II Craftsman Level – SY 1995-1996
   Level III Technician Level – SY 1996-1997
   Beginning school year 1994-95, all technical and vocational education institutions (TVEIs) headed by vocational school administrators (VSAs) including private technical schools and colleges offering post-secondary technical courses in line with this curricular program are encouraged to apply to implement this program. The BTVE and TVED in the different regions will evaluate all applications using assessment tools modified from DECS Memorandum No. 147, s. 1987 to focus on major critical areas to wit: faculty and staff; tools, equipment and consumables; and compliance with program design and requirements.
7. Since the new program will take effect starting SY 1994-95, schools who are going to pilot this program and those who may qualify to implement the same in subsequent school years and are offering any of the courses under MECS Order No. 38, s. 1982 as amended by MECS Order No. 17, s. 1986, and DECS Order No. 59, s. 1987, shall undertake gradual phasing-out procedures for these courses. That is, no enrollment for first year shall be allowed for these old curricular offerings beginning SY 1994-95. Students previously enrolled in these courses, however, should be allowed to graduate.
8. This Order supersedes all previous orders and other issuances on curricular programs for technical vocational courses, particularly MECS Order No. 38, s. 1982 as amended by MECS Order No. 17, s. 1986 and DECS Order No. 59, s. 1987.
9. Compliance with this Order by all concerned is desired.

Incl.: As stated
References: MECS Orders: Nos. 38, s. 1982 and 17, s. 1986
DECS Orders: Nos. 48, 59, s. 1987 and 4, s. 1989
DECS Memorandum: No. 147, s. 1987
Allotment: 1-3-4—(M.O. 1-87)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
CURRICULUM
POLICY
PROGRAM, SCHOOL
TECHNICAL EDUCATION
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION