LEGAL BASIS:

Republic Act No. 7796, otherwise known as 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.

TESDA Board promulgated Resolution No. 98-03 last January 23, 1998 establishing 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.

TWO MAJOR ELEMENTS IN UTPRAS:

1. Registration – (compulsory) compliance with minimum standards prescribed in Training Regulations and anchored on competency-based system;

2. Accreditation – a form of quality assurance which is over and above the requirements for Program Registration in UTPRAS which shall be voluntary in nature and a form of recognition given by an accrediting body that the program or the institution has met the criteria set by the accrediting body.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

WHY UTPRAS?

• To promote public interest and welfare by ensuring the quality of all TVET programs;

• To prescribe compliance with minimum standards provided for in training regulations promulgated by the TESDA Board;

• To encourage and enable TVET institutions to continuously upgrade the quality of training delivery;

• To generate a comprehensive data base of TVET institutions and TVET programs that is essential to the effective management of the TVET sector.

HOW TO REGISTER A TVET PROGRAM:

1. Institution representative visits/inquires about program registration requirements and procedures.

2. Provincial/District UTPRAS focal person conducts orientation/briefing to the applicant institution on the following:

   • Program Registration policies, procedures and requirements

   • Conduct of ocular inspection

   • Training Regulations and preparation of curriculum

   • Preparation and putting up of standard signage for the TESDA registered programs

   • Program Registration Compliance Audit

   • Sanctions and penalties to erring institutions

3. The Institution submits required documents to the Provincial/District Office.

4. PO/DO UTPRAS focal person receives documents:

   • Checks completeness of documents against checklist

   • Returns application if documents are not complete based on the registration requirements with notation of deficiencies

   • Officially receives (stamp received) if documents are complete.

   • Issues Acknowledgment Letter together with the processed Program Registration Requirement Checklist

   • Advises applicant to pay the non-refundable Registration Fee during the ocular inspection at the PO/DO

5. PO/DO UTPRAS focal person evaluates submitted documents in detail

   • Evaluates the curriculum against the TR

   • Determines compliance of the curriculum against the CBC definition/format

   • For programs not covered by TR (NTR), review of the curriculum shall be done with an expert

   • Fifteen calendar days after receipt of the documents, the UTPRAS Focal Person

     • Recommends to the PD/DD the conduct of ocular inspection if documents are in order; or

     • Sends letter signed by the PD/DD informing of the deficiencies, the 10 calendar days to comply with the requirements and the return of the documents

6. Within 5 calendar days after the review of the documents,

   • PO/DO UTPRAS focal person :

     • Advises institution re conduct of inspection

     • Prepares checklist for inspection

     • Schedules team inspection

   • UTPRAS Inspection Team:

     • Inspects the tools/equipment, consumables, books, workshops, facility, faculty and personnel, corporate and administrative documents, academic rules and support services against the submitted Program Registration Requirements.

7. UTPRAS Inspection Team

   • Prepares and signs inspection report

   • Discusses results of inspection to the institution’s representative and requests for the signature on the inspection report.

   • Provides copy of the inspection report to the institution’s representative

   • If there are deficiencies, informs the institution that they have 30 calendar days to comply and that a re-inspection shall be conducted.

   • Submits inspection report to the UTPRAS Focal Person the following day

8. UTPRAS Focal Person submits inspection report to the PD/DD within the day

9. For compliant institution, PO/DO submits complete documents together with the results of inspection and corresponding recommendation to RO for final review within 5 calendar days

10. For institution with deficiencies, the PO/DO reminds in writing the institution within 15 calendar days after the conduct of inspection on the 30-calendar day allowable period to comply with the requirements. In case the institution fails to comply with the requirements within the 30-calendar day period, the PO/DO submits the documents to the RO and recommends issuance of Letter of Denial.

11. Within 10 calendar days upon receipt of documents, RO UTPRAS focal person conducts final review of documents:

    • If found to be in order, recommends issuance of CoPR.

    • If there are deficiencies, notifies PO/DO of the deficiencies

12. Within the day after receipt of the notice, the PO/DO UTPRAS focal person notifies the institution about the deficiencies, and the 5 calendar days to comply.

13. Upon receipt of the documents correcting the deficiencies from the institution and if found in order, the PD/DD forwards the said documents to RO and recommends issuance of CoPR within 5 calendar days. In case the institution fails to comply, the PD/DD recommends issuance of Letter of Denial.

14. Within 10 calendar days after receipt of recommendations from PD/DD, RO focal person prepares CoPR or Letter of Denial.

15. RD approves and signs CoPR or Letter of Denial.

16. RO releases CoPR or Letter of Denial to PO/DO together with the institution’s documents.

17. PO/DO releases CoPR or Letter of Denial to the Institution

WHO AND WHAT ARE COVERED BY UTPRAS?

1. All TVET programs offered by public and private institutions, including programs offered by enterprise-based training centers, provided that programs that are offered are fee-charging and open to the public;

2. All TVET programs in industrial trades and crafts, agriculture, fishery, services and home industries;

3. TVET programs with permit and recognition certificates granted by the Secretary of Education;

4. Apprenticeship programs undertaken by private enterprises 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. A Certificate of Competency is the smallest unit that can be registered which corresponds to a job in an industry.

WHAT IS THE BASIS FOR PROGRAM REGISTRATION?

1. Training Regulations prescribed minimum program standards;

2. Training regulations developed by experts and practitioners from public/private sector (Experts Panel);

3. Training Regulations promulgated by the TESDA Board after national validation;

4. Training Regulations serves as basis for which the competency-based curriculum and instructional materials and competency assessment tools are developed. This document represents a specific qualification. It defines the competency standards for national qualification and how such qualification can be gained, assessed and be given recognition. (Procedures Manual on Development of TRs);

5. Training Regulation is a TESDA promulgated document that serves as basis for which the competency-based curriculum and instructional materials and competency assessment tools are developed. This document represents specific qualification. How the competencies in this qualification can be gained, assessed and be given recognition is detailed in this promulgated document. (The TVET Glossary of Terms)

WHAT IF THE TRAINING INSTITUTION FAILED TO REGISTER THEIR PROGRAMS?

TVET institutions which are found to have run TVET programs without complying with registration requirements shall be liable for violation of these guidelines. As such appropriate sanctions shall be imposed on the erring institution.

The sanctions shall be in accordance with Section 68, Chapter 1, Title V of the Education Act of 1982 which provides that any person upon conviction of an act in violation of the authorization requirements shall be punished with a fine of not less than two thousand pesos (P2000) nor more than ten thousand pesos (P10,000) or imprisonment for a maximum period of two (2) years, or both, at the discretion of the court.

If the act is committed by a corporation, the school head, together with the person or persons responsible for the offense shall be equally liable.

For fraud or deceit committed in connection with the application for registration, unauthorized operation of a course or any component thereof, and unauthorized advertisements or announcements relative thereto, the authority, through TESDA Regional Offices, shall revoke the certificate of registration after due process.

WHAT TO DO IF A SCHOOL WILL OFFER A NEW TVET PROGRAM?

Register the program with TESDA prior to acceptance of enrollees. Registration is compulsory with or with out Training Regulations.