Gatchalian: 'Batang Magaling Act' to institutionalize free assessments, certifications for SHS graduates

Following the issuance of the joint guidelines on the free assessment and certification for senior high school learners under the technical-vocational-livelihood (TVL) track, Senator Win Gatchalian is pushing anew for the passage of the Batang Magaling Act or Senate Bill No. 2367 to institutionalize the program.

One of the Batang Magaling Act's objectives is to institutionalize free national competency assessments and the awarding of National Certificates (NCs), which are provided for under the 2024 national budget. This fiscal year, more than P438 million was alloted under the TESDA Regulatory Program for assessing and certifying 420,900 Grade 12 learners. Gatchalian proposed funding for the program during the deliberations on the 2024 national budget.

"My vision moving forward is to institutionalize this program through a law. That is why we proposed the Batang Magaling Act to institutionalize these assessments and many other reforms in our senior high school level," said Gatchalian, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.

The Batang Magaling Act seeks to boost the readiness of senior high school graduates for their chosen exits: higher education, middle-level skills development, employment, or entrepreneurship. The proposed measure seeks to create the National Batang Magaling Council, which shall align senior high schools' curricular offerings and work immersion components with market needs identified by industry partners and government agencies.

To help learners acquire specialized skills to advance in their chosen paths, the Council shall increase the awareness and commitment of both industry partners and government agencies to accept learners in the work immersion programs and ensure that their deployment is done according to their tracks.

The proposed measure also mandates the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to revise its policies and integrate the qualifications of senior high school graduates in the CSC qualification standards. This will open up opportunities for senior high school graduates to find employment in government.

"One of the reforms we are looking at is mandating the Civil Service Commission to hire our senior high school graduates. Nagdagdag tayo ng senior high school level pero gobyerno mismo ay hindi kumukuha ng senior high school graduates," Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian: 'Batang Magaling Act' magbibigay katuparan sa libreng assessment, certification para sa SHS graduates

Kasunod ng inilabas na joint guidelines sa libreng assessment at certification para sa mga mag-aaral ng senior high school sa ilalim ng technical-vocational-livelihood (TVL) track, muling isinulong ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang kanyang panukalang Batang Magaling Act (Senate Bill No. 2367) upang maging institutionalized ang programa.

Isa sa mga layunin ng Batang Magaling Act ang gawing institutionalized ang libreng national competency assessments at ang awarding ng National Certificates (NCs) kagaya ng nakasaad sa 2024 national budget. Sa taong ito, mahigit P438 milyon ang inilaan sa ilalim ng TESDA Regulatory Program para sa assessment at certification ng 420,900 na mag-aaral sa Grade 12. Matatandaang si Gatchalian ang nagpanukala ng pondo para sa programa noong deliberasyon ng 2024 national budget.

"Nais kong bigyan ng katuparan ang programa sa pamamagitan ng isang batas. Kaya natin inihain ang Batang Magaling Act upang maging institutionalized ang mga assessment na ito at ang iba pang mga reporma sa senior high school," ani Gatchalian, Chairperson ng Senate Committee on Basic Education.

Layunin ng Batang Magaling Act na paigtingin ang kahandaan ng mga senior high school graduates sa pipiliin nilang direksyon: kolehiyo, middle-level skills development, trabaho, o pagnenegosyo. Layunin ng naturang panukala na itatag ang National Batang Magaling Council na siyang mag-aakma ng programa ng senior high school at work immerson component sa pangangailangan ng mga industriya at ng gobyerno.

Upang matulungan ang mga mag-aaral na magkaroon ng angkop na mga kakayahan, paiigtingin ng Council ang kaalaman at pakikipagtulungan sa pribadong sektor at gobyerno upang matanggap ang mga mag-aaral sa work immersion programs. Titiyakin din ng Council na akma ang kanilang magiging deployment sa kanilang mga piniling track.

Magiging mandato naman sa Civil Service Commission (CSC) na magbago ng polisiya nito upang magkaroon ng pagkakataon ang mga senior high school graduates na makakuha ng trabaho sa gobyerno.

"Isa sa mga repormang isinusulong natin ang pag-mandato sa Civil Service Commission na tanggapin ang ating mga senior high school graduates. Nagdagdag tayo ng senior high school level pero mismong mga government agencies ay hindi kumukuha ng mga empleyado na senior high school graduates," ani Gatchalian.