GHOST TRAINING, TRAINEES. Rafael Abrogar II (in photo), director of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-Region 12, warns of hefty sanctions against schools found engaging in fraudulent activities. In particular, he says some schools are suspected of maintaining 'ghost training and ghost trainees.' (Photo grab from TEDA Dose Facebook page)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- An official of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) warned of hefty sanctions on Friday against schools found with “ghost training and ghost trainees.”
Rafael Abrogar II, TESDA-12 director, issued the warning in the wake of an ongoing investigation on various accredited technical-vocational (tech-voc) schools in the region involving fraudulent activities.
Abrogar did not disclose the details of the continuing probe but noted that it included schools based in the city.
“They will answer for these and at the same time we will recall their scholarship slots and close down their programs,” the official said in a statement.
Abrogar reiterated that the agency is serious in stopping any fraudulent activity involving their scholarship programs as directed by TESDA Director General Isidro Lapeña.
TESDA central office had confirmed the existence of ghost training and ghost trainees in registered technical vocational and education training programs in Central Luzon, Ilocos Region, Calabarzon and Metro Manila.
This resulted in the agency’s implementation of stricter monitoring on existing training schools and validation process for those applying for accreditation through its Unified Technical Vocational Education and Training Program Registration and Accreditation System.
It also issued the Omnibus Guidelines for 2019 TESDA Scholarship Programs, which was designed to discourage anomalies and illegal activities by implementing stricter monitoring of training programs, trainees' attendance, and the employment rate of the scholar graduates.
Abrogar said the accreditation and awarding of scholarship slots are mainly privileges granted by the agency to tech-voc schools.
He said they will not hesitate to recall them and file appropriate charges against any school found to have violated their regulations.
The official said they will continue with the strict monitoring of all agency-accredited schools in the region to ensure the delivery of proper services to the people.
“This is also part of the government’s crusade to weed out corruption in the country and TESDA has been pushing for that,” he added. (PNA)
