As the country continues to face a learning crisis, the advocacy group Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) welcomed on Thursday, Nov. 10, the designation of the conferees of Congress in the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II).
“This is a milestone in our shared aspiration to enhance quality education in the Philippines,” said PBEd Executive Director Justine Raagas.
“With the country’s learning poverty reaching a new high at 91 percent this year, no time should be wasted in convening EDCOM II,” she added.
PBEd stressed the importance of convening EDCOM II which will allow legislators and other stakeholders to review and amend policies and legislation to address current gaps and improve the educational system in the country.
It will also provide an avenue for other stakeholders to take part in substantive discussions to address the learning crisis and come up with much-needed reforms.
“With the future of millions of Filipinos at stake, we need a strong multi-sectoral coalition that will mobilize resources and convert it to transformative action that will ensure each individual is learning and thriving,” Raagas explained.
The House of Representatives earlier announced that Representatives Mark Go and Roman Romulo will serve as co-chairpersons for the House panel, while Representatives Pablo John “PJ” Garcia, Francisco “Kiko” Benitez, and Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo were appointed as members of the commission.
PBEd noted that the Senate previously delegated Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Francis Escudero as co-chairpersons and Senators Sonny Angara, Joel Villanueva, and Pia Cayetano as members.
“With the designation of the members of EDCOM II, both Chambers of Congress can start conducting hearings on the comprehensive review of our education system,” the advocacy group added.
PBEd noted that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has also made his pronouncements on the need to improve basic education skills and knowledge and that the government should reexamine the curriculum to correct job mismatch in the country.
“ A whole-of-society approach is necessary for EDCOM II to accomplish its objective,” PBEd said.
The private sector, it added, plays a vital role and can lend its expertise and experience through evidence-supported measures on education financing, decentralization, public-private education complementarity, assessments, digital transformation of education for equity, and industry-academe linkages in standards, training, and employment.
“We still have a long way to go but we are committed to work with Congress to make this endeavor a success,” Raagas added.