Gatchalian to chair Basic Education panel in 19th Congress; vows pursuit of education reforms

Senator Win Gatchalian will keep his chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture in the 19th Congress.

Gatchalian vowed to continue his pursuit of reforms that will address the education crisis and improve the performance of the country's learners. Among his priorities are the full resumption of face-to-face classes, the review of the K to 12 system, and upholding the welfare of teachers.

Gatchalian also vowed to exercise the Senate's oversight power on the implementation of landmark laws that he sponsored in the 18th Congress. These include the Alternative Learning System Act (Republic Act No. 11510), the Excellence in Teacher Education Act (Republic Act No. 11713), and Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act (Republic Act No. 11650).

The lawmaker also sponsored the proposed measure on the creation of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), which seeks to conduct a national assessment and evaluation of the Philippine education sector's performance.

Gatchalian pressed the urgency of resuming face-to-face classes to address learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) estimates that two years of school closures will result in P22 trillion in productivity losses.

To uphold the welfare of teachers, Gatchalian has urged the incoming administration to ensure the full implementation of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers (Republic Act No. 4670).

For Gatchalian, the incoming administration should prioritize raising teacher salaries and ensuring adequate health insurance for teachers. He added that the Department of Education (DepEd) should follow the recommendation of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) to conduct studies on teachers' workload, which will rationalize the job function of public school teachers and allow them to allocate more time for teaching.

Gatchalian recently presented Committee Report No. 645 on the inquiry of the Senate basic education panel on the implementation of the Magna Carta, which the Senate adopted.

"Sa ating pagpapatuloy bilang Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, bibigyan natin ng prayoridad ang pagtugon sa krisis sa sektor ng edukasyon. Sa pagbangon ng sektor ng edukasyon mula sa hagupit ng pandemya, iaangat natin ang kalidad ng edukasyon at itataguyod ang kapakanan ng ating mga guro," said Gatchalian.

Gatchalian mananatiling Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education

Mananatiling Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture si Senador Win Gatchalian sa pagsisimula ng 19th Congress.

Nanindigan si Gatchalian na ipagpapatuloy niya ang pagsulong sa mga repormang tutugon sa krisis sa edukasyon at mag-aangat sa kakayahan ng mga mag-aaral ng bansa. Ilan sa kanyang mga prayoridad ang pagsusulong na maibalik ang face-to-face classes, ang pagrepaso sa sistema ng K to 12, at ang pagtataguyod sa kapakanan ng mga guro.

Nanindigan din si Gatchalian na titiyakin niya ang maayos na pagpapatupad ng mga batas na kanyang isinulong sa 18th Congress. Kabilang dito ang Alternative Learning System Act (Republic Act No. 11510), ang Excellence in Teacher Education Act (Republic Act No. 11713), at ang Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act (Republic Act No. 11650).

Isinulong din ni Gatchalian ang panukalang batas na lilikha sa Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) na susuri at magrerepaso sa buong sektor ng edukasyon.

Iginiit ni Gatchalian ang pagbabalik ng face-to-face classes upang tugunan ang learning loss sa panahon ng COVID-19 pandemic. Tinataya ng National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) na 22 trilyong piso ang mawawala sa bansa dahil sa dalawang taong walang face-to-face classes.

Upang itaguyod naman ang kapakanan ng mga guro, hinimok ni Gatchalian ang papasok na administrasyon na tiyakin ang ganap na pagpapatupad sa Magna Carta for Public School Teachers (Republic Act No. 4670).

Ayon kay Gatchalian, dapat bigyang prayoridad ng susunod na administrasyon ang pagtaas sa sahod ng mga guro at ang pagkakaroon nila ng sapat na health insurance Dagdag pa ng Senador, dapat sundin ng Department of Education (DepEd) ang rekomendasyon ng Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) na pag-aralan ang workload ng mga guro upang makatutok sila sa pagtuturo.

Ibinahagi kamakailan ni Gatchalian ang mga nilalaman ng Committee Report No. 645 sa ukol sa pagrepaso ng basic education committee sa pagpapatupad ng Magna Carta. Inaprubahan na ng Senado ang naturang ulat.

"Sa ating pagpapatuloy bilang Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, bibigyan natin ng prayoridad ang pagtugon sa krisis sa sektor ng edukasyon. Sa pagbangon ng sektor ng edukasyon mula sa hagupit ng pandemya, iaangat natin ang kalidad ng edukasyon at itataguyod ang kapakanan ng ating mga guro," ani Gatchalian.