Gatchalian on decentralizing basic education governance: Strengthen LGUs' involvement

To decentralize governance in the basic education sector, Senator Win Gatchalian proposed anew to strengthen the involvement of local government units in improving the quality of basic education.

Gatchalian's proposal is outlined in the 21st Century School Boards Act (Senate Bill No. 155), which seeks to make the local school boards responsible for formulating policies on improving the delivery and quality of basic education. Success indicators of these policies shall include, among others, the participation rate of students, the number of dropouts and out-of-school youth, and the achievement scores measured by national tests or assessment tools. The proposed measure also aims to expand the local school board to involve other education stakeholders and relevant actors in the community.

Following the Second Congressional Commission on Education's visit to Vietnam, Gatchalian cited the Southeast Asian country's decentralized education governance. While the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) decides policies at the national level, the People's Committee at the provincial level implements education programs, ensures quality, and is accountable for outcomes.

"The local school board is already a good vehicle to implement some form of devolution at the local level because the mayor and the superintendent are part of it. But we propose to add powers to the local school board and make sure there is accountability. My proposal is an attempt to devolve education at the local level using existing mechanisms," said Gatchalian, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.

Gatchalian's bill also proposed to broaden the use of the Special Education Fund (SEF), which is sourced from the additional one percent tax on real property.

While the Local Government Code of 1991 (Republic Act No. 7160) allots the SEF to the local school board to operate and maintain public schools and construct and repair school buildings, Gatchalian proposes that the expanded use of the SEF cover the salaries of teachers and non-teaching personnel, salaries of preschool teachers, and teachers' and non-teaching personnel's honoraria and allowances for additional services rendered outside of regular school hours.

The proposed expanded use of the SEF will also cover capital outlay for pre-schools, and the operation and maintenance of Alternative Learning System (ALS) programs, among others.

Mas maigting na pakikilahok ng mga LGU sa edukasyon isinusulong ni Gatchalian

Muling isinulong ni Senador Win Gatchalian na paigtingin ang pakikilahok ng mga local government units (LGUs) sa pag-angat sa kalidad ng edukasyon at upang maipatupad ang panukalang decentralization sa education governance.

Nakasaad ang mungkahi ni Gatchalian sa 21st Century School Boards Act (Senate Bill No. 155), kung saan imamandato sa mga local school boards ang pagdisenyo at pagpapatupad ng mga polisiya sa paghahatid at pag-angat ng kalidad ng edukasyon sa bansa. Susukatin ang tagumpay ng mga programang ito sa participation rate ng mga mag-aaral, sa bilang ng mga dropout at out-of-school youth, at marka sa mga national test at iba pang assessment tools. Layon din ng naturang panukala na palawakin ang local school board upang makalahok ang iba pang mga education stakeholders.

Kasunod ng pagdalaw ng Second Congressional Commission (EDCOM II) on Education sa Vietnam, ibinahagi ni Gatchalian ang halimbawa ng naturang bansa pagdating sa pamamalakad ng sektor ng edukasyon. Bagama't ang kanilang Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) ang nagpapasya ng mga polisiya para sa buong bansa, ang People's Committee sa mga probinsya ang may pananagutan para sa mga resulta. Ang mga naturang komite rin ang nagbabantay sa kalidad at nagpapatupad ng mga programa sa edukasyon.

"Ang local school board ay isa nang magandang mekanismo upang magpatupad ng devolution sa mga lokal na pamahalaan dahil bahagi nito ang alkalde at superintendent. Ngunit iminumungkahi rin natin na palawakin ang responsibilidad ng mga local school board at tiyaking may pananagutan sila. Ang aking panukala ay isang paraan upang ibaba sa lokal na lebel ang edukasyon gamit ang mga mekanismong meron na tayo," ani Gatchalian, Chairperson ng Senate Committee on Basic Education.

Iminumungkahi rin ni Gatchalian na palawakin ang paggamit ng Special Education Fund (SEF) na nagmumula sa dagdag na isang porsyentong buwis sa real property.

Bagama't nakasaad sa Local Government Code of 1991 (Republic Act No. 7160) na maaaring gamitin ng local school board ang SEF sa operasyon, pagpapanatili, pagpapatayo, at pagkumpuni ng mga school buildings, iminumungkahi ni Gatchalian na palawakin ang gamit ng SEF upang magamit sa sahod ng mga guro at non-teaching personnel, sahod ng mga preschool teachers, at honoraria at allowances ng mga teachers at non-teaching personnel para sa karagdagang serbisyo sa labas ng regular na oras ng pagtuturo.

Iminumungkahi rin ni Gatchalian na gamitin ang SEF para sa capital outlay ng mga pre-schools, at sa operasyon at maintenance ng mga programa sa Alternative Learning System (ALS).