Solons want labor subjects be included in college curriculum

Lawmakers are pushing for the inclusion of labor subjects into the college social science curriculum.

"College students should equip themselves with knowledge about labor rights, works welfare and benefits, core labor standards, labor laws and regulations," Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza (Party-list, TUCP) said.

"These students will eventually be a part of the labor force and therefore should be coached the most important principles pertaining to the role of labor in the self-realization of a human being," Mendoza said.

House Bill 3205, authored principally by Mendoza, vice chairman of the House Committee on Labor and Employment, mandates the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to integrate labor subjects into the social science curriculum in the tertiary.

Mendoza said CHED should develop a course on labor education to be integrated in the tertiary education curriculum to inculcate among college students a sense of awareness on the rights, privileges as well as the responsibilities to society of workers.

Mendoza, who also chairs the House Committee on Poverty Alleviation, said there are about 2.6 million college students in the country.

The number of students enrolled in private universities and colleges are more than 1.6 million, while more than 820,000 are from state universities and colleges, he said.

He said local universities and colleges have 96,000 while the rest come from other higher education institutions of government.

Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara (Lone District, Aurora), another author of the bill, said labor issues would give students knowledge of the labor situation in the country and the current employment problem.

"The labor education should also include topics on national and global labor situation, labor market concerns, labor issues, overseas work and related problems," said Angara, chairman of the House Committee on Higher Education. - Jazmin S. Camero, Media Relations Service-PRIB

Include labor education in college curriculum - TUCP Partylist

The TUCP Party-list is batting for the inclusion of labor education in the curriculum for tertiary education to increase the awareness of college students on labor laws, labor rights and privileges and other related concerns.

TUCP Party-list Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza introduced House Bill 3205, also known as "Labor Education Act of 2010," to prepare the college students for their eventual entry into the labor force.

"It is imperative for college students who will eventually join the labor force as workers and employees to have knowledge about labor rights, worker's welfare and benefits, core labor standards, labor laws and regulations, the national and global labor situation, labor market concerns, labor issues, overseas work and related concerns," Mendoza said.

Mendoza sought the immediate approval of the bill saying "it is the policy of the State to protect the rights of workers and promote their welfare."

"CHED should develop a course on labor education to be integrated in the tertiary education curriculum. The college students should be well informed of their labor rights, workers welfare and benefits," Mendoza said.

The course on labor education that will be separately offered together with existing subjects in the college curricula shall increase the awareness of the graduates and instill labor awareness, Mendoza stressed.

"The integration of labor education in the tertiary education system shall not only increase labor laws and related concern awareness but also the citizens' responsibility to the society," Mendoza added. - Jazmin S. Camero, MRS-PRIB