Press Release
August 14, 2010

FILL TEXTBOOK GAPS, RAISE RP EDUC QUALITY--ANGARA

Senator Edgardo J. Angara today said a big part of overhauling the basic education system is ensuring that the supply of textbooks is enough for the increased number of students across the country.

"The lack of books for public school children aggravates the declining quality of education especially among government-run institutions. This is a critical area to consider now that we're extending our basic education to 12 years, in an effort to make our graduates competitive in the domestic and global labor force," said Angara, Chair of the Senate Committee on Education.

In 2008, the Commission on Audit reported P6.7 million worth of books left unused in Central Visayas. The COA's annual audit report on DepEd's 2007 transactions also found that a total of 1,275,056 textbooks worth P57.3 M were left unused nationwide.

Angara has authored many of the laws securing book development in the country, creating the National Book Development Board. In recent months, he has begun his own book donation projects in elementary schools in Aurora, his home province, and hopes that the DepEd and key players of the private sector and other advocate groups will follow suit in other provinces.

REAP Philippines has cited the lack of school facilities and equipment, dilapidated classrooms, poorly prepared teachers and the lack of textbooks and reference materials hinder children from excelling and overcoming the barriers of learning. In some cases, donations from foreign governments do not reach the schools and communities in most need.

"There is never a lack of worthy and deserving recipients, but never enough books to spread around," Angara lamented. He added "it is still the serious responsibility of the government to harness its resources to improve the sad state of our public school system.

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