| Summary: | The ultimate goal of this research is to assess the need for basic labor education among senior high school students, and, if such a need exists, determine how best to integrate it into the curriculum. The research was accomplished in four stages : curriculum review of selected laboratory high schools, a survey among their senior students, focused interviews with school administrators and faculty members, as well as tripartite sectoral representatives. Thecurriculum review revealed that laboratory high schools use curricula very similar to the one prescribed by the Department of Education for use in all public high schools. The four defined components of basic labor education do not exist in any of the five key learning areas in the high school curriculum. In the survey, an average score of 8.14 out of 15 points (54.27%) confirmed a lack of knowledge of labor laws and standards among the sampling population of senior high school students. Also discovered was a relationship between the students professed confidence in getting a job armed with only a high school education and (a) their participation in an on-the-job training (OJT) program; and (b) their test scores. School officials and faculty members unanimously agreed that the integration of basic labor education in the high school curriculum would benefit the students in terms of equipping them with knowledge on workers' rights and responsibilities before entering the workforce. The consensus was that it would be best integrated into the Economics subject. These interviewees also stressed that improving the delivery of instruction in schools, particularly under the Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) program, would enhance the employability of the students by equipping them with transferable skills and technical know-how. Appropriate investments in infrastructure, equipment, teacher training and training module development are key to a sustainable promotion of skills-based learning and employment. Tripartite representatives also agreed with the integration of the subject, and stressed the importance of career guidance counseling in high schools. This would ensure that students are properly guided on which options to pursue in terms of higher education or appropriate technical and vocational training. This would be based on their natural talents, interests and forecasted labor demands of key industries. Moreover, the school curriculum should be more reflective of the kind of jobs available in each community, highlighting critical skills and knowledge related to these jobs. This paper hopes to be the basis o0f future studies attempting to further prepare students to enter the workforce through labor education, resulting in the promotion of youth employment and the creation of decent, productive work.
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