The Senate has approved the proposed 2025 national budget allocation of P70 million to boost the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority's (TESDA) digital transformation.

In a statement on Wednesday, Senator Win Gatchalian, the co-chairperson of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), noted the importance of the funding in upscaling the country’s digitalization efforts.

The funding will be allocated to three projects, including the acquisition and development of an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) course builder, which will require a P40 million budget.

The P20 million will be allocated to the Internet of Things (IoT) training system, while the remaining P10 million will go toward the development of an AI-powered Labor Market Information (LMI) System.

Gatchalian said the AI-powered TVET course builder will speed up course development and make it more cost-efficient through automation, which minimizes the need for extensive human resources.

It will reduce the time required to develop and update training regulations, competency standards, competency-based curricula, and competency assessment tools.

The course builder will also ensure that all training materials are of the highest quality, industry-aligned, and relevant to the job market.

It seeks to make TVET programs more consistent through standardized course content, assessments, and competencies. Additionally, it will enable the rapid scaling of TVET programs nationwide to meet the rising demand for skilled workers.

The IoT training system aims to empower students with skills to operate, program, and maintain IoT devices and networks, helping them prepare for careers in smart technology applications in industrial automation, healthcare, and agriculture, among other fields.

The AI-powered LMI system seeks to leverage AI to identify emerging industry needs, predict workforce shortages, and guide educational institutions in aligning training programs with market demands.

Gatchalian believes that accelerating digital transformation and the adoption of artificial intelligence “is the way forward” when it comes to improving education, including the development of TVET.

“By investing in TESDA's AI adoption and digital transformation, we hope to become more efficient in producing skilled workers that respond to the needs of our economy,” he said.