The Senate has approved on third and final reading a bill that seeks the creation of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II). For Senator Win Gatchalian, this is a crucial step forward in addressing the country's education crisis and preventing the collapse of the education system.
Under Senate Bill No. 2485, the EDCOM II will be tasked to undertake a comprehensive national assessment and evaluation of the performance of the Philippine education sector. The purpose of the review is to recommend transformative, concrete, and targeted reforms in the sector to make the Philippines an intellectual power in Asia.
The national assessment and evaluation will review how mandates are observed under the laws that created the three education sub-sectors: Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
The same assessment will also identify factors that have contributed to the continuing failure in learner performance on identified subject areas to meet the desired international and local standards. It will also recommend specific, targeted and time-bound solutions to improve the performance of education sectors in relation to measurable indicators.
The proposed Commission will be composed of 10 members—five from the Senate and five from the House of Representatives. The members from the Senate will be the Chairpersons of the following committees: Basic Education, Arts and Culture; Higher, Technical and Vocational Education; Finance; Science and Technology; and Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development.
From the Lower House, the members will be the Chairpersons of the following committees: Basic Education and Culture; Higher and Technical Education; Appropriations; Science and Technology; and Labor and Employment.
The Commission shall accomplish its mandate within two years from its organization. A Technical Secretariat, which shall co-exist with the Commission, will exist for another two years after the duration of EDCOM II to provide administrative oversight on the Commission's policy recommendations. State think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) will serve as the research arm of the Commission.
"Napapanahon na ang pagkakaroon ng EDCOM II upang masuri ang mga hamong hinaharap ng sektor ng edukasyon. Mahalaga ito upang maipanukala natin ang mga kinakailangang reporma na mag-aangat sa kalidad ng edukasyong ibinibigay natin sa ating mga kabataan," said Gatchalian, sponsor and co-author of the measure. # # #
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Gatchalian: EDCOM II tutugunan ang krisis sa edukasyon
Aprubado na sa huli at ikatlong pagbasa ang panukalang batas na lilikha sa Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II). Para kay Senador Win Gatchalian, mahalagang hakbang ito upang matugunan ang krisis na kinakaharap ng bansa pagdating sa edukasyon.
Sa ilalim ng Senate Bill No. 2485, magsasagawa ang EDCOM II ng national assessment at evaluation o komprehensibong pagsusuri sa lagay ng sektor ng edukasyon sa bansa. Layunin ng panukalang pagsusuri na mag-rekomenda ng mga mahahalagang reporma sa sektor upang maging intellectual power sa Asya ang Pilipinas.
Susuriin sa ilalim ng EDCOM II kung paano tinutupad ng Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), at ng Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) ang kanilang mga mandato sa ilalim ng batas.
Pag-aaralan din sa ilalim ng panukalang pagsusuri ang mga sanhi kung bakit nananatiling mababa ang performance ng mga mag-aaral sa international at local standards. Magrerekomenda rin ang EDCOM ng mga tiyak na mga solusyon upang paigtingin ang performance ng sektor ayon sa mga lokal at pandaigdigang mga pamantayan.
Ang panukalang Komisyon ay magkakaroon ng sampung kasapi—lima mula sa Senado at lima mula sa Kamara. Ang mga miyembro mula sa Senado ay ang mga Chairpersons ng mga sumusunod na komite: Basic Education, Arts and Culture; Higher, Technical and Vocational Education; Finance; Science and Technology; at Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development.
Mula naman sa mababang Kapulungan ang mga magiging kasapi ay ang mga miyembro ng mga sumusunod na komite: Basic Education and Culture; Higher and Technical Education; Appropriations; Science and Technology; at Labor and Employment.
Tutuparin ng Komisyon ang mandato nito sa loob ng dalawang taon mula sa pagkakatatag nito. Matapos ang dalawang taon, ang Technical Secretariat na bubuuin kasabay ng Komisyon, ay magpapatuloy ng dalawang taon upang magkaroon ng administrative oversight sa mga rekomendasyon ng Komisyon. Ang Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) naman ang magsisilbing research arm ng Komisyon.
"Napapanahon na ang pagkakaroon ng EDCOM II upang masuri ang mga hamong hinaharap ng sektor ng edukasyon. Mahalaga ito upang maipanukala natin ang mga kinakailangang reporma na mag-aangat sa kalidad ng edukasyong ibinibigay natin sa ating mga kabataan," ani Gatchalian, sponsor at isa sa mga may-akda ng panukalang batas.
Gatchalian: EDCOM II to prevent collapse of country's education system, end learning crisis
