Press Release
May 4, 2021

Gatchalian bats for higher education budget for 2022 to recover from impact of COVID-19

Senator Win Gatchalian bats for the allocation of up to 6% of gross domestic product (GDP) for the overall budget of the education sector next year, the recommendation by the United Nations (UN) under the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), to help spur the sector's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The education sector has been allotted a budget of P759 billion for this year or 4% of GDP to help address the challenges of the pandemic. A big chunk of the budget goes to basic education which is 3.2% of GDP.

Aside from meeting the UN spending targets, Gatchalian also proposed the following steps in financing education: ensuring efficient funding at the local level to improve learner outcomes, ensuring coverage for vulnerable groups, and adjusting the national budget to adapt to the 'New Normal.'

"We want to make sure that the budget for the education sector is responsive to the new normal by re-channeling some of the programs to distance learning -- increase the use of the internet and protect the health of our teachers and our school officials," he emphasized.

The senator said that channeling resources to education is such an important ingredient to the success of our learners. He cited an analysis of the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) which showed that the Philippines spends a cumulative expenditure of an estimated P8,474 per student aged 6-15 over the theoretical duration of their studies, way lower than the expenses of other Southeast Asian countries per student. Singapore, for instance, spends an estimated P109,060 per student. Their learners scored 549 in Reading ending second from among 79 countries that participated in the said global assessment in 2018 while Filipino learners scored the lowest or 340 in Reading.

To help allocate more resources at the local level, Gatchalian proposed the expanded use of the Special Education Fund (SEF) in Senate Bill No. 1579 or the 21st Century School Boards Act.

Under the proposed measure, the expanded use of the SEF will cover salaries of public elementary and high school teachers, non-teaching, utility, and security personnel. Salaries of preschool teachers, capital outlay for pre-schools, operation and maintenance of Alternative Learning System (ALS) programs, distance education classes and training programs are also included in the proposed expansion of the SEF coverage. These are all contributory to the improvement of the quality of education in the country, according to Gatchalian.

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Gatchalian nanawagan ng dagdag na budget para sa sektor ng edukasyon sa 2022

Isinusulong ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang paglalaan ng hanggang anim (6) na porsyento ng Gross Domestic Product (GDP) para sa pangkalahatang budget ng sektor ng edukasyon sa susunod na taon kaugnay sa pagbangon ng sektor mula sa pinsala ng pandemya. Ang anim na porsyento ay rekomendasyon ng United Nations sa ilalim ng Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4).

May mahigit pitong daang (759) bilyong pisong nakalaan para sa sektor ng edukasyon ngayon taon, katumbas ng apat (4) na porsyento ng GDP, upang tugunan ang mga epekto ng pandemya. Malaking bahagi ng pondong ito ay para sa basic education na katumbas ng mahigit tatlong (3.2) porsyento ng GDP.

Bilang pagtugon sa rekomendasyon ng UN, sinabi ni Gatchalian na ang mabisang paglalaan ng mas malaking pondo ay upang maiangat ang kalidad ng edukasyon, lalo na sa lokal na lebel. Iminungkahi rin niya ang paglaanan ng sapat na pondo para sa tinatawag na vulnerable groups at gawing angkop ang pambansang budget para sa 'New Normal.'

"Gusto nating tiyakin na ang budget para sa sektor ng edukasyon ay angkop sa new normal sa pamamagitan ng paglalaan ng pondo sa distance learning, pagpapalawig ng paggamit sa internet, at pangangalaga sa kalusugan ng ating mga guro at school officials," ani Gatchalian.

Paliwanag ni Gatchalian, nakita na natin ang epekto ng hindi sapat na pondo sa academic performance ng ating mga estudyante sa pamamagitan ng mga nagdaang global assessments. Ayon sa datos ng 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), ang Pilipinas ay naglalaan ng mahigit walong libong (8,474) piso kada mag-aaral na may edad na anim (6) hanggang labing-lima (15) sa kabuuang panahon ng kanilang pag-aaral. Sa Singapore, mahigit isang daang libong (109,060) piso ang ginagasta kada mag-aaral. Matatandaang sa halos walumpung (79) bansang lumahok sa PISA, Singapore ang nakakuha ng pangalawang pinakamataas na marka (549) sa Reading samantalang pinakamababa naman ang markang natanggap ng Pilipinas (340).

Upang madagdagan naman ang pondo sa edukasyon sa ilalim ng mga lokal na pamahalaan, isinusulong ni Gatchalian ang pagpapalawig sa paggamit ng Special Education Fund (SEF) sa Senate Bill No. 1579 o ang 21st Century School Boards Act.

Sa ilalim ng naturang panukala, ang SEF ay maaari na ring gamitin para sa sahod ng mga guro sa pampublikong paaralan, non-teaching , utility, at security personnel. Kabilang din dito ang pasweldo sa preschool teachers, capital outlay para sa preschool, pagpapatakbo ng Alternative Learning System o ALS, distance learning, at mga programa para sa pagsasanay ng mga guro.

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