Six industry partners and the University of Negros Occidental – Recoletos, together with TESDA, signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to support the Business Agriculture Technology (BAT) Diploma internship program, March 06.
“Together with TESDA and industry partners, UNO-R would indeed be looking forward to finding more innovative ways to support and unlock students’ capabilities,” said Rev. Fr. Jose Alden Alipin, OAR, in his welcome message during the MOA signing at the President’s Hall.
Dr. Ma. Corazon Acaba, program head of the School of Agriculture, explained that the on-the-job training (OJT) programs are a course requirement providing an opportunity to apply the theories, principles, and ideas learned in the academe under supervision.
“These training programs expose the students to the realities, which ideally hone their skills and prepare them once they get out of UNO-R,” Acaba said.
Meanwhile, University President Rev. Fr. Don Besana, OAR, said in his message that “we have to remember that we have this delicate mission of giving the best education to our students at all times, bringing with us the gospel values, and enriching our students with the gospel values.”
“I’m very happy about this partnership with TESDA,” Fr. Besana said.
Also, Fr. Besana stated in his message that the government is doing its part in bringing good programs to the people, especially for the students for nation-building.
“Without agriculture, nobody among us here would live,” he said.
On the other hand, TESDA NOPO Acting Provincial Director Romelia Nuezca said that TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña sees the need for food security.
“We are mandated to encourage schools and TVIs to offer agricultural programs. It is noted in Negros Occidental that UNO-R is one of the providers of the agricultural programs, which is the diploma in Business Agriculture Technology,” Nuezca said.
She said that “UNO-R is already a recipient of several slots of scholarship programs… So more to come for 2021.”
Nuezca explained that TESDA is distributing 30 percent of the scholarship slots to agriculture programs nationwide.
The MOA signing between UNO-R and the industry partners is the first for TESDA in Negros Occidental. “It is with industry where we can develop the skills of our trainers. It is our industry that will hire our graduates. So this is a momentous event in TESDA Negros Occidental,” she said.
UNO-R RITTC-STEP Director Nena Samillano said that “TESDA is committed to provide scholarship to our BAT students for three years. Also, UNO-R is committed to provide quality education to the TESDA scholars.”
Fr. Alipin said that “we devote ourselves to building a mutual commitment to promote and develop agriculture and agribusiness for better progress and results with the assistance of different sectors, numerous experts and industry partners.”
“Because of the guiding principles of TESDA, which is ‘Sa TESDA Abot Lahat,’ the dreams and aspirations of the selected scholars are given hope,” he said.
AgRecoletos 