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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Senate OKs bill strengthening early childhood care, development

Senate OKs bill strengthening early childhood care, development

Published Dec 17, 2024 06:05 am

The Senate has approved on third and final reading the bill that seeks to improve the quality and delivery of early childhood care and development (ECCD) services.


Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian lauded the latest development saying Senate Bill No. 2575 or the Early Childhood Care and Development Act expands the application of the National ECCD System to all provinces, cities, municipalities, and villages to achieve universal ECCD access to all children below five years old.


The ECCD System covers the full range of health, nutrition, early childhood education, and social services development programs that provide for the basic holistic needs of children below five years of age and promote their optimum growth and development.


“Mahalagang reporma ang pagpapatatag sa ECCD dahil dito nakasalalay ang pagkakaroon ng matatag na pundasyon ng ating mga kabataan (Strengthening the ECCD is an important reform because having a solid foundation for our youth depends on it),” Gatchalian said.


“Kailangang maabot natin ang bawat batang wala pang limang taon, tugunan ang kanilang mga pangangailangang pangkalusugan, at tiyakin ang kanilang kahandaang pumasok sa ating sistema ng edukasyon (We need to reach every child under five, address their health needs, and ensure their readiness to enter our education system),” the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education said.


The measure primarily mandates every city and municipality to create an ECCD Office, which shall be under the administrative supervision of the mayor.


These ECCD offices shall be tasked to ensure the full implementation of ECCD programs, including the supervision of child development teachers (CDTs) and child development workers (CDWs).


The proposed Early Childhood Care and Development Act also seeks the professionalization of CDTs and the reskilling and upskilling of incumbent CDWs.


Under the proposed law, incumbent CDWs shall complete mandatory reskilling and upskilling training programs on ECCD or early childhood education and pass a certification by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), which shall provide the assessments and certifications free of charge.


In turn, TESDA shall provide such assessment and certification free of charge. The ECCD Council shall provide the reskilling and upskilling programs.


According to the senator, the bill strengthens the ECCD Council, which shall be attached to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to ensure the State’s focus on building a strong foundation for the development and learning of children below five years of age.

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Senate of the Philippines early childhood care and development Sherwin Gatchalian
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