EDCOM II turns one; Gatchalian assures education reforms vs. education crisis

As the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) marks its first anniversary, Senator Win Gatchalian vowed to continuously pursue reforms that will address the crisis hounding the education sector.

Republic Act No. 11899 created the EDCOM II to conduct a comprehensive national assessment of the Philippine education sector's performance. The commission is also mandated to recommend transformative, concrete, and targeted reforms to make the Philippines globally competitive in the education and labor markets. The EDCOM II, which formally convened on January 23 last year, has three years to fulfill its mandate.

The EDCOM II has released the report "Miseducation: The Failed System of Philippine Education," which presents its findings during the past 12 months. The report's initial recommendations include the streamlining of textbook procurement, the decongestion of public teachers' workload, and the prioritization of poorest students in the Tertiary Education Subsidy, among others.

The Commission also recommends the creation of a coordinating body between the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). To pursue this recommendation, Gatchalian filed the National Education Council Act (Senate Bill No. 2017), which seeks to institutionalize a system of national coordination, planning, monitoring, evaluation, and management between and among the country's three education agencies.

"Malaking hamon ang pagtugon sa krisis na bumabalot sa sektor ng edukasyon at kailangan nating tiyakin na hindi mapagkakaitan ng magandang kinabukasan ang ating mga kababayan," said Gatchalian, EDCOM II Co-Chairperson.

The Commission is backing the passage of bills that Gatchalian filed. These include the ARAL Program Act (Senate Bill No. 1604), the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act (Senate Bill No. 2200), and the Basic Education and Early Childhood Education Alignment Act (Senate Bill No. 2029).

Reporma upang sugpuin ang krisis sa edukasyon patuloy na isusulong ng EDCOM II — Gatchalian

Sa gitna ng unang taong anibersaryo ng Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), tiniyak ni Senador Win Gatchalian na magpapatuloy ang pagsulong sa mga repormang susugpo sa krisis sa edukasyon sa bansa.

Nilikha ang EDCOM II sa pamamagitan ng Republic Act No. 11899 upang suriin ang estado ng edukasyon sa buong bansa. Minandato rin sa komisyon na magrekomenda ng mga reporma upang maging globally competitive ang Pilipinas sa education and labor markets. Unang nagtipon noong Enero 23, 2023 ang EDCOM II, na binigyan ng batas ng tatlong taon upang tuparin ang mandato nito.

Inilunsad ng EDCOM II ang ulat na "Miseducation: The Failed System of Philippine Education" kung saan lumabas ang mga unang resulta ng isinagawang mga pag-aaral at konsultasyon ng nakaraang taon. Ilan sa mga rekomendasyon ng naturang ulat ang mas pinasimpleng proseso ng pagbili ng mga textbooks, pagbabawas sa gawain ng mga guro, at ang pagbibigay prayoridad sa mga pinakanangangailangang mga mag-aaral para sa Tertiary Education Subsidy.

Inirekomenda rin ng EDCOM II ang paglikha ng isang coordinating body sa pagitan ng Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), at ang Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). Upang isakatuparan ang rekomendasyong ito, inihain ni Gatchalian ang National Education Council Act (Senate Bill No. 2017) upang gawing institutionalized ang sistema ng koordinasyon, pagpaplano, monitoring, evaluation, at pamunuan sa pagitan ng DepEd, CHED, at TESDA.

"Malaking hamon ang pagtugon sa krisis na bumabalot sa sektor ng edukasyon at kailangan nating tiyakin na hindi mapagkakaitan ng magandang kinabukasan ang ating mga kababayan," ani Gatchalian, Co-Chairperson ng EDCOM II.

Suportado naman ng EDCOM II ang ilan sa mga panukalang batas ni Gatchalian. Kabilang dito ang ARAL Program Act (Senate Bill No. 1604), ang Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act (Senate Bill No. 2200), at ang Basic Education and Early Childhood Education Alignment Act (Senate Bill No. 2029).