26 March 2015 – During a recent visit to Bonn, Philippine Ambassador to Germany Melita Sta. Maria-Thomeczek had the opportunity to call on BIBB Deputy President Prof. Dr. Reinhold Weiss and senior management of the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB or Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung).
Both sides noted that following the visit of President Aquino to Germany in September 2014, institutional and technical cooperation has developed at a fast pace. The BIBB is acting as the focal point for Germany under the Joint Declaration of Intent in the Field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
BIBB experts were recently in Manila in January for a one-week mission to support Germany’s ongoing “Pilot Program in the Area of Dual(ized) vocational education and training in the context of the K-12 Reform in the Philippines (K-12 Plus).” The program involves multiple government and private sector stakeholders, including the Department of Education (DepEd), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI), Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) Foundation, AFOS Foundation, People’s Credit and Finance Corporation (PCFC), and pilot schools.
BIBB is expected to utilize its cost-benefit models to also measure the effectiveness of dual vocational training. Ambassador Thomeczek emphasized that “the BIBB’s cost-benefit study, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year, would be an important tool for policymakers and companies to assess the investment costs required to train employees. More importantly, it should provide us with a clear assessment of the monetary and non-monetary benefits in the upskilling of employees. Such a detailed assessment should help convince Filipino companies to buy into the model of in-company training that is so prevalent in Germany.” END