OWWA-CHED MOA allows OFWs to earn degrees faster via work experience

MANILA, May 3 ------ The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to help overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) earn college degrees faster by recognizing their years of work experience.

In an interview during the MOA signing for the implementation of the Lifelong Learning Education Assistance Program for OFWs (LEAP-OFWs) in Quezon City on Wednesday, OWWA chief Patricia Yvonne “PY” Caunan said the agreement would give more qualified OFWs the opportunities to earn academic degrees under the CHED’s existing Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP). “Di ba pag college degree four years, ngayon, kumbaga naka-credit yung experience, imbes na four years ka mag-aaral, pwedeng two years na lang or one year, at tutulungan ka pa ng OWWA through scholarship. And then hindi lang yun, kahit nasa abroad ka, pwede mo nang tapusin yung college degree mo through this program,” she said. “Napakaimportante nitong programang ito laking tulong talaga ito sa mga OFWs,” she added.

CHED’s ETEEAP allows qualified workers to convert professional experience and prior learning into academic credits. Under the program, OFWs may complete a bachelor’s degree in as little as one to two years instead of the usual four, depending on the assessed experience and competencies. Caunan said the initiative is intended for migrant workers who have spent years abroad but were unable to finish college. “Many OFWs have worked for 10 to 15 years in industries like hospitality, but still do not have a bachelor’s degree. This program gives them a chance to finally complete their studies,” she said.

She added that the initiative is part of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to strengthen reintegration and ensure that every OFW has clear opportunities upon returning to the Philippines. The first pilot batch will accommodate 100 OFWs, with 50 slots for workers still overseas and 50 slots for returning OFWs. OFWs currently abroad may take the course online, allowing them to continue working while studying.

Caunan said the program is funded through the General Appropriations Act and not from OWWA’s trust fund, and is open to all OFWs under the Alagang OWWA Program, including non-members. She also said OWWA will provide educational assistance to help interested and qualified OFWs shoulder tuition costs in participating colleges and universities. Caunan said the initiative is part of the government’s reintegration efforts, under a whole-of-government approach, in coordination with concerned agencies, including CHED, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), to link graduates to various job opportunities locally and abroad.

The OWWA, she said, would soon release application guidelines for the first batch of beneficiaries under its LEAP-OFWs initiative. She said CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis said around 300 OFWs have already graduated under the existing ETEEAP system.

Source: pna.gov.ph