Don Bosco TVET in Tondo, Manila, provides for 54 years vocational training to students from low or no income families. Anybody with good grades but no funds can apply. Every year 960 students are enrolled. Don Bosco offers classes in Mechanical & Electrical Engineering, Car Maintenance, Hospitality & Tourism and Book Keeping. Don Bosco Students at a Meeting with Representatives of the JDVFS in December 2024

Almost a quarter of Don Bosco's students take accounting classes where they learn entry level book keeping. The cerficate they earn in two years allows them to get jobs as junior accounting clerks. For many it is also the beginning of a career in accounting. The book keeping degree allows them - after a few years of business experience - to study accounting at a business university. Book Keeping Students have to share their 20 Years old Desktop Computers

A few of Don Bosco's accounting classes are already computer based. The old desk top computers however lack the memory to run more complex, modern accounting programs. Also, the number of available personal computers did not keep pace with the growing number of students. Too many classes are still paper based. Accounting Class in Don Bosco - students getting familiar with the concept of general ledgers

To upgrade and digitalise the classes and allow more students to work with computers, Don Bosco TVET and the JDVSF agreed to modernize the Bookkeeping Department. 45 new lap tops for students, 15 desk tops for the computer lab, 12 for trainers, a powerful main server, new network routers, printers & scanners and a WIFI upgrade will be part of the project. Don Bosco plans to have everything ready by June 2025.The Building which houses the Bookkeeping Department is next to Don Bosco's Hospitality & Tourism School

The upgrade will not only allow the Bookkeeping Department to catch up with the latest technology in accounting, it will also be the base for digital marketing. "As everybody in the Philippines moves to Digital Marketing, we want to train our book keeping students in this domaine", said Father Vester, the Dean of Don Bosco TVET. He is convinced that these additional skills further improve the career prospects of his students.Father Vester (right) whith the Head Teachers of the Bookkeeping Department.