Bam to gov't, stakeholders: Join forces to take education to next level

Come together to take our education systems to the next level!

This was the challenge issued by Sen. Bam Aquino to concerned government agencies and private stakeholders during the 2016 Philippine Education Summit held Thursday at the SMX Convention Center.

"I am hopeful that all stakeholders are willing to work together and focus on producing quality education," said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Education, Arts and Culture in the 17th Congress.

In the 2017 budget, P650 billion has been earmarked for education, or equivalent to 19 percent of the total budget.

Out of this, P567 billion will go to the Department of Education, P75 billion to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and P6.87 billion to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

"Now that we have the resources to make a quantum leap in our education sector, let's come together to take our educational systems to the next level," Sen. Bam pointed out.

However, Sen. Bam said the challenge is to make sure that the budget for education is felt by the public, especially the students in public schools and state colleges and universities (SUCs).

During the summit, Sen. Bam also reiterated the Senate's commitment to support the government's pursuit to further improve quality of education in the country.

As chairman of the Committee on Education, Sen. Bam is pushing for the passage of a measure that will give free tertiary education in all SUCs.

Sen. Bam has filed Senate Bill No. 177 or the Free Higher Education for All Act giving free tuition fee to all students in SUCs.

Sen. Bam has also submitted Senate Bill No. 170 or the Trabaho Center in Schools Act that creates an employment office in every senior high school, giving SHS graduates access to available job opportunities.

The senator also wants to give out of school youth (OSY) in the country access to education through his Senate Bill No. 171 or the Abot Alam Bill, which seeks to institutionalize alternative learning system (ALS).