Press Release
February 19, 2022

Gatchalian on education recovery: Adequate support needed for marginalized learners

In fostering the recovery of the education sector from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, re-electionist Senator Win Gatchalian vowed to seek adequate support for the country's marginalized learners.

Gatchalian pointed out that enrollment among learners with disabilities and Alternative Learning System (ALS) learners are yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. For the chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, this presses the need to bring education opportunities more accessible to these learners, noting that they were already struggling before the pandemic hit.

There are 202,603 ALS learners enrolled for the current School Year 2021-2022, which is 73% lower than the pre-pandemic figure of 759,723 for School Year 2019-2020. For the current school year, enrollment among learners with disabilities is at 93,895, 74% lower than the 360,879 enrolled for School Year 2019-2020.

"Bago pa tumama ang pandemya, malaking hamon na ang hinaharap ng ating mga learners with disabilities at ng ating mga mag-aaral sa ALS. Sa pagbangon ng sektor ng edukasyon mula sa pandemya, kailangan nating tiyakin na hindi sila mapag-iiwanan at matutugunan natin ang kanilang mga pangangailangan," Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian is the principal author and sponsor of the Alternative Learning System Act (Republic Act No. 11510). ALS provides opportunities for out-of-school children in special cases and adult learners to develop basic and functional literacy and life skills.

Out-of-school children in special cases include learners with disabilities or conditions, indigenous peoples, children in conflict with the law, learners in emergency situations, and other marginalized sectors.

Gatchalian is also the sponsor and a co-author of the measure entitled "Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act."

Once enacted into law, the Department of Education (DepEd), in collaboration with local government units (LGUs), shall initially establish and maintain at least one Inclusive Learning Resource Center of Learners with Disabilities (ILRC) in each city and municipality in the country. ILRCs will serve as a one-stop shop for the delivery of free support services to learners with disabilities and the local implementation of various inclusive education programs.


Gatchalian: Pangangailangan ng 'marginalized learners' tugunan para sa education recovery

Sa pagbangon ng sektor ng edukasyon mula sa mga pinsalang dulot ng pandemya ng COVID-19, nanindigan si Senador Win Gatchalian na patuloy niyang isusulong ang pagbibigay ng sapat na suporta sa mga mag-aaral na nangangailangan o "marginalized learners."

Binigyang diin ni Gatchalian na nananatiling mababa ang enrollment ng mga learners with disabilities at mga mag-aaral ng Alternative Learning System (ALS). Kung susuriin ang datos, malayo pa ang bilang ng mga naka-enroll ngayon sa bilang na naitala bago tumama ang pandemya. Kaya naman para kay Gatchalian, dapat ilapit ang edukasyon sa mga mag-aaral na ito, lalo na't hinaharap na nila ang maraming hamon bago pa ang hagupit ng pandemya.

Para sa School Year 2021-2022, mahigit dalawang daang libong (202,603) mag-aaral ang kasalukuyang naka-enroll, mas mababa ng pitumpu't tatlong (73) porsyento kung ihahambing sa mahigit pitong daang libong (759,723) naitala noong School Year 2019-2020. Para sa kasalukuyang School Year, may mahigit siyamnapung libong (93,895) learners with disabilities ang naka-enroll, mas mababa ng pitumpu't apat (74) na porsyento kung ihahambing sa mahigit tatlong daang libong (360,879) naitala noong School Year 2019-2020.

"Bago pa tumama ang pandemya, malaking hamon na ang hinaharap ng ating mga learners with disabilities at mga mag-aaral sa ALS. Sa pagbangon ng sektor ng edukasyon mula sa pandemya, kailangan nating tiyakin na hindi sila mapag-iiwanan at matutugunan natin ang kanilang mga pangangailangan," ani Gatchalian.

Si Gatchalian ang pangunahing may akda at sponsor ng Alternative Learning System Act (Republic Act No. 11510). Nagbibigay ang ALS ng mga oportunidad para sa mga out-of-school children in special cases at mga nakatatandang mga mag-aaral upang malinang ang kanilang mga basic at functional literacy at life skills.

Kabilang sa mga out-of-school children in special cases ang mga learners with disabilities, indigenous peoples, children in conflict with the law, mga learners in emergency situations, at iba pang mga mag-aaral na nangangailangan.

Si Gatchalian din ang sponsor at isa sa mga may akda ng panukalang batas na pinamagatang "Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act."

Kung maisabatas ang panukalang ito, makikipag-ugnayan ang Department of Education (DepEd) sa mga lokal na pamahalaan upang magpatayo ng hindi bababa sa isang Inclusive Learning Resource Center of Learners with Disabilities (ILRC) sa bawat lungsod at munisipalidad sa bansa. Ang mga ILRCs ay magsisilbing one-stop shop sa paghahatid ng libreng support services para sa mga learners with disabilities at sa pagpapatupad ng mga programa para sa inclusive education.

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