Entrepreneurship training considered for senior high school

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

During a meeting Tuesday between Vice President and Assistant Secretary Sara Duterte and senior advisors of Go Negosyo led by founder Joey Concepcion, they discussed various options to incorporate entrepreneurial skills into the school curriculum for high school students.

These opportunities include direct guidance from experienced entrepreneurs and assistance from private companies, especially those involved in the agricultural sector, Concepcion said.

“Our idea is that if we open this path 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 entire current 13-year K-12 program, with an additional four years for higher education.

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

The discussions explored multiple strategies for integrating entrepreneurship into the curriculum. These include established mentoring programs currently being 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 targeting specific demographics such as women, youth, and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). They have also organized thematic events with a focus 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 conference platforms, expanding its reach to provinces and across the ASEAN region.

Duterte expressed her appreciation for Go Negosyo’s willingness to assist DepEd in improving agricultural and fisheries schools. She also suggested using vacant land to teach children basic gardening and farming skills.

The education chief also suggested that entrepreneurship mentorship be made a part of co-curricular activities and stressed the importance of initiating preparatory activities before piloting the enhanced secondary school curriculum in the coming school year. The feasibility of training teachers in entrepreneurship mentoring was also discussed.

Concepcion underlined the timeliness of the introduction of entrepreneurship training for high school students.

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

At the meeting with VP Duterte were Go Negosyo Senior Advisors Engr. Merly Cruz, Josephine Romero and Dr. William Dar, along with Executive Director Mina Akram. DepEd represented Asec. for Curriculum and Instruction Alma Ruby Torio and USec. Atty. Michael Wesley Poa.