LEGAL BASIS

  Republic Act No. 7796, otherwise known as the TESDA Act of 1994, empowers TESDA to establish and maintain a system of accrediting, coordinating, integrating, monitoring and evaluating formal and non-formal technical vocational education and training programs.

In its regular meeting held on January 23, 1998, the TESDA Board promulgated Resolution 98-03 approving the establishment of a unified TVET program registration and accreditation system which shall be in consonance with the pursuit of a quality technical vocational education and training system.

All TVET programs offered in public and private TVET institutions shall be subject to program registration under these guidelines.

COVERAGE

1. These guidelines shall cover all TVET programs offered by public and private institutions, including programs offered by enterprise-based training centers, provided that programs that are offered in the latter are fee-charging and open to the public.
2. All TVET programs in industrial trades and crafts, agriculture, fishery, services and home industries, among others, are covered by the system.
3. TVET programs with permit and recognition certificates granted by the Secretary of Education shall be reviewed and registered under UTPRAS within the prescribed period.
4. Apprenticeship programs undertaken by private enterprises are not covered by these guidelines but shall be authorized on the basis of existing apprenticeship guidelines. Compliance with apprenticeship guidelines is considered as having the effect of UTPRAS registration.
5. TVET institutions with registered TVET programs which they desire to provide under the dual system shall be accredited as dual training system institutions under the guidelines implementing Republic Act No. 7686 in order that incentives provided for in the law may be availed of by concerned TVET institutions.
6. Community-based livelihood-oriented training programs undertaken by local government units and non-government organizations shall not be subject to registration under these guidelines, unless prescribed by the TESDA Board.
7. A module of employable competency or a set of modules may be registered as a TVET program under these guidelines.
   

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE REGISTRATION SYSTEM

1. The Unified TVET Program Registration and Accreditation System is primarily intended to promote public interest and welfare by ensuring the quality of all TVET programs.
2. The registration system is anchored on the competency-based system wherein TVET programs adopt the job titles being prepared for and the competency or set of competencies that are to be acquired.
3. The registration system prescribes compliance with minimum standards provided for in training regulations, promulgated by the TESDA Board.
4. A TVET program for a particular trade area, whether school-based or center-based, shall be registered on the basis of the same training regulations.
5. The registration system relies on the TESDA Occupation Qualification and Certification System (TOCQS) as its platform and, as such, TVET programs shall be categorized on the basis of the four qualification levels: National Certificate I (basic [operator] competencies); National Certificate II (intermediate [craftsman] competencies); National Certificate III (advanced [technician] competencies); and National License (highest [master technician] competencies).
6. Program adjustment shall be undertaken within one TOCQS qualification level, or from one higher level to a lower one. TVET programs that intend to develop the entire set of competencies for a particular competency level (under TOCQS) shall be classified as “TVET program – NC I’’ of NC II, as the case may be. On the other hand, TVET programs that intend to develop a few or a number of competencies (within one competency level in TOCQS) shall be classified as "TVET program leading to NC I” or NC II, as the case may be.
7. The registration and accreditation system shall be closely tied up with the provision of technical assistance and incentives that will encourage and enable TVET institutions to continually upgrade the quality of training delivery.
8. The registration system intends to generate a comprehensive database of TVET institutions and TVET programs that is essential to the effective management of the TVET sector.      

GUIDELINES IN THE EVALUATION OF REQUIREMENTS FOR THE REGISTRATION OF TVET PROGRAMS UNDER UTPRAS

Corporate and Administrative Documents

• The resolution of the Board to offer the program shall be duly signed by the Chairman and attested to by the Board Secretary.
• The SEC registration and articles of incorporation indicating the primary purpose for the provision of educational services shall be required of all private TVET institutions.
• Proof of building ownership or a lease-contract of not less that five (5) years shall be presented.
• A valid fire-safety certificate issued by the concerned local government unit shall be presented.

Curricular Requirements

• The curriculum shall identify the job title being addressed and the competencies which are intended to be developed.
• The course and subject description shall be related to a particular competency that is intended to be developed.
• The list of supplies, tools and equipment for the program shall indicate the quantity, specifications and date of purchase or acquisition.
• The list of instructional materials shall include library holdings. Instructional videotapes and compact discs, including Internet access may also be indicated.
  

Faculty and Personnel

• The names and qualifications of all school officials, including the incorporators, shall be properly noted.
• The technology teachers and instructors for the program shall be required to possess equivalent experience and competency certificates equal to or of a higher level than the program level to be handled.
• The names and qualifications of non-teaching personnel shall likewise be properly noted. 

Academic Rules

• The schedule of tuition and other fees shall be required for reference purposes, in relation to future possible increases in tuition fee levels.
• The grading system shall be submitted as reference for verification of credits earned. As much as possible, the grading system shall be PASSED/FAILED or CREDIT/NO CREDIT to be consistent with the competency-based system.
• The entry requirements, including admission tests and fees, if any, shall be indicted in detail.
• The rules on attendance shall be clearly stated to serve as reference in the settlement of any possible dispute

Support Services

• The TVET institution may maintain full-time medical services in its premises. However, such services may be provided by medical institutions with which the TVET school has a formal agreement. A copy of such Agreement shall be submitted
• The services of a guidance counselor, whether by a full-time counselor or by a qualified teacher-adviser assigned to assume such responsibility shall constitute compliance with this requirement. Placement services may be in the form of referral services undertaken directly by the school or through a community placement service like the PESO.
• Community outreach programs shall be indicated, if such are being undertaken. This shall be treated as an optional requirement, but may become the basis for the future provision of assistance and incentives.
• Research programs shall be treated in like manner as outreach programs.
  

        Branch schools shall be required to secure to their own Registration Certificates. They shall be required to submit a certified copy of curriculum standards that may have been previously approved upon the representation of the mother institution. Their tools and equipment, instructional materials, faculty, academic rules and support services shall be submitted for appropriate evaluation. They shall likewise be required to pay the corresponding filing fee and registration fee. The evaluation of the curriculum and the inspection and assessment of facilities, tools and equipment for the program shall be undertaken with the assistance of competent persons from the concerned sector, preferably members of the sectoral TESDA Expert Panel, either at the regional or national level.

In the absence of an appropriate Training Regulations, the evaluation of a curriculum may be undertaken on the basis of other curriculum standards which were previously approved by the Regional Office or by other Regional Offices. The Office of Formal TVET shall facilitate the provision of copies of previously approved curriculum standards to the concerned Provincial Office.

A TVET program with a Certificate of Recognition which is not covered by an existing training regulations may continue to be offered, provided that a competency-based shall be submitted. As required, the curriculum shall indicate the job title being addressed and the competencies which are intended to be developed.

As soon as an appropriate Training Regulations is promulgated, all related TVET programs with Permit or Recognition Certificates shall be reviewed and registered under UTPRAS within two (2) years from the promulgation of such Training Regulations.

All applications for program registration shall be acted upon by the Provincial and Regional Offices within six (6) months, if the program is a full program, or within three (3) months, if the program is a modular program.

All Regional Offices shall continue to enforce the requirement for the posting of copies of UTPRAS Registration Certificates in conspicuous places in the campus. The Regional Offices shall likewise cause the regular publication of the updated list of UTPRAS registered TVET programs in newspapers of local circulation and in the TESDA Web site for the benefit of the community-at-large.