Advocacy group Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) on Thursday, Nov. 4, called on legislators to pass the Education Commission (EDCOM) Bill in the remaining months of the 18th Congress.

“We have a small window of opportunity to pass the bill before Congress is taken over by the campaign period in February 2022,” PBEd Executive Director Love Basillote said in a virtual press conference.

“We will take this chance because this is a step towards resolving the learning crisis,” she added.

The EDCOM Bill seeks to create a non-permanent body that will review the current education sector and recommend reforms.

House Bill 10308 or the EDCOM Bill is the substitute bill filed by the Cong. Roman Romulo, the Chairperson of the House Committee on Basic Education.

It is the product of the deliberations of his Committee earlier this year. It is expected that the bill will be heard and passed by Congress’ plenary body once it resumes session on Nov. 8.

Meanwhile, PBEd Chairman and Phinma Corporation President Ramon del Rosario, Jr. pushed that the EDCOM should be “multi-sectoral.”

The HB 10308 currently states that the EDCOM is composed solely of members of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

“Education stakeholders should be represented: the private sector, teachers, school leaders, education experts, and civic organizations are ready to work collaboratively with the national government and complement each other's effort in building and re-building the system,” del Rosario said.

He also emphasized the value of representation because it “ensures that practical and theoretical expertise from the ground are heard.”

PBED President Chito Salazar also noted that the bill can help in improving education system. “We need to find our way to get kids back in school as soon as possible. We need to address issues of malnutrition,” he said.

“However, in long term problems of education, EDCOM can help since the problem in our education is very systemic,” Salazar added.

Meanwhile, the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines (COCOPEA) also reiterated its support to the EDCOM Bill.

“To fully understand the education system, we need to look back further, even before the pandemic,” Estrada said. “Whole access to education is still a problem, we have substantially improved,” he added.

Estrada noted that role of private sector in education, learning outcomes is “indispensable” as private education tends to be cost effective and agile in adapting to changes.

“We, therefore support the urgent passage of the law that would convene the congressional education commission to revisit laws passed after the EDCOM 1,” he added.

READ:

https://mb.com.ph/2021/04/27/convening-new-edcom-a-critical-immediate-response-to-learning-crisis-in-ph-pbed/