President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed into law a measure seeking to create pathways for working professionals to earn degrees through non-traditional means.

Marcos signed Republic Act (RA) 12124 or the Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP) Act on Monday, allowing working professionals to earn college degrees without going through the traditional schooling methods.

The ETEEAP will identify, assess, validate, and assign equivalent undergraduate-level and special graduate programs of prior learning from formal, non-formal, and informal learning systems and relevant work experiences to qualified individuals for the grant of appropriate academic degrees.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) will serve as the lead implementing agency of the new law. Its functions include deputizing higher education institutions (HEIs) with academic degrees to be opened for the ETEEAP, developing standards for a diversified mode of assessing skills, values, knowledge, and levels of competence, and granting or revocation of HEIs’ authority to implement the ETEEAP.

The CHED is also tasked with monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the ETEEAP by deputized HEIs, convening broad-based and inter-agency consultation meetings, and setting standard fees and other administrative charges for accreditation that will contribute to ETEEAP’s special account.

To ensure the effective implementation of ETEEAP, the Office of Programs and Standards Development (OPSD) under CHED will be strengthened to serve as the permanent technical secretariat for carrying out the new law’s functions.

To avail the program, applicants must be at least 23 years old at the time of application and have completed a secondary school program, as evidenced by a high school diploma or a result of the Philippine Educational Placement Test or Alternative Learning System Accreditation and Equivalency Assessment and Certification stating that the individual concerned is qualified to enter college.

Applicants must also have at least five years of aggregate work experience in the industry related to the academic degree program or discipline where equivalency of learning is sought.

Meanwhile, Senator Joel Villanueva lauded the signing of the ETEEAP Act, calling it a crucial step toward helping Filipino workers advance their career.

“The enactment of the ETEEAP Act marks a significant milestone for both our education and labor sectors,” Villanueva said in a statement.

“This law ensures that the skills, knowledge, and experience gained in the workplace are acknowledged and translated into academic credits, ultimately enabling the attainment of an appropriate academic degree,” he added.

Villanueva thanked Marcos for recognizing the importance of the measure and acknowledged the role of his colleagues, including Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, in its passage.

“This will open new doors for career advancement, helping many Filipinos further their education while continuing their professional journey,” he said. (PNA)