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GMA Network
6 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
‘Decades of neglect': PBEd urges decentralization amid PH education crisis
The Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) is sounding the alarm on the worsening state of Philippine education, calling for urgent decentralization and localized reform delivery to address what it calls a 'generational crisis' in learning and workforce readiness. At the core of its latest push, PBEd unveiled a four-point agenda aimed at reversing decades of systemic neglect and failed top-down reforms: Institutionalize decentralization by empowering Local School Boards (LSBs), reforming Special Education Fund (SEF) spending, and strengthening school leadership. Scale up early learning and remediation programs, including ECCD and the Aral Law, to ensure children master reading, writing, and math at grade level. Realign tech-voc and higher education curricula to match industry needs and close the education-to-employment gap. Invest in quality instruction and better classrooms, through lower student-teacher ratios and sustained professional development for educators. 'We need reforms that transcend administrations—systems that ensure continuity and local ownership,' said PBEd Executive Director Bal Camua during an education forum held in Pasay City on Monday. "National policy can set directions, but delivery must be localized,' he added. PBEd, a non-profit advocacy group founded by top business leaders in 2006, bases its findings on national education data, global assessments, and direct engagements with schools and education agencies across the country. A learning crisis generations in the making Despite major reforms over the years—EDCOM I, K–12, and the ongoing EDCOM II—the country continues to suffer from low learning outcomes, high dropout rates, and a mismatch between what students learn and what the workforce demands. According to PBEd, nine out of 10 students cannot read at grade level, a statistic that paints a dire picture of the country's future. 'That's not just a learning gap. It weakens our future workforce,' said Samantha Ulchico, PBEd Senior Program Manager. In underserved regions, only 7% of learners who start Grade 1 finish college, and across the country, 4 in 10 college students drop out before graduation. Camua warned, 'Our learners are racing against time. This is no longer just an education issue—it's a national economic crisis.' Teachers overworked, graduates underprepared At the heart of the problem are teachers who are stretched thin and teaching outside their expertise. More than 62% are teaching subjects beyond their specialization, and many lack access to modern training or classroom support. 'Can we truly expect effective learning when teachers themselves are not given the right training or support?' Camua asked. 'Many of them are products of the same broken system.' Even for those who complete their education, job prospects remain dim due to a growing disconnect between the education system and labor market requirements. Meanwhile, the country's three major education bodies—DepEd, CHED, and TESDA—continue to function in silos. PBEd pointed to TESDA's severe assessor shortage, which has created a backlog of students unable to receive certifications. Fragmented system, centralized decisions Despite having a structure for local education governance, many Local School Boards remain inactive, and SEF funds are often spent mostly on infrastructure rather than on teacher training, learning resources, or student support. Camua argued that decentralization is not merely a policy choice but a necessity if the country wants to close the learning gap and empower schools. 'The issues in NCR are not the same as those in BARMM or Samar,' he said. 'Solutions must come from those who understand the context best—our school leaders and LGUs.' PBEd urged that principals be supported not just as administrators but as instructional leaders who are equipped to drive learning outcomes at the school level. Running out of time As EDCOM II enters its final year, advocates fear that momentum for reform will stall again. 'We are down to the last three years of this administration,' said Uichico. 'If we don't act now, another generation will pass through our classrooms without the skills and hope they deserve.' 'The window for change is closing fast. We cannot afford to waste another decade,' Ulchico added. Camua then emphasized that the crisis spans administrations and must be addressed with long-term structural reforms. "A six-year term is not enough to solve generational problems. We need institutional continuity," he said. —LDF, GMA Integrated News
The Star
14-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Marcos signs law strengthening childcare for kids ages 0-5
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed into law Republic Act (RA) No. 12199, which prioritizes early education, proper nutrition, and caring support for Filipino children ages zero to five. - Photo: PPA POOL MANILA: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed into law Republic Act (RA) No. 12199, which prioritises early education, proper nutrition, and caring support for children ages zero to five. Signed on May 8, RA No. 12199, or the 'Early Childhood Care and Development System Act,' the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said the law was passed to 'implement the State's policy to safeguard and promote every child's right to holistic well-being, growth, and dedicated care.' The new law repealed RA No. 10410, otherwise known as the 'Early Years Act (EYA) of 2013.' Under RA No. 12199, the ECCD Council is assigned to care for children below age five, while the Department of Education (DepEd) oversees those aged five to eight, in line with the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013. The ECCD will then be institutionalised through multi-sectoral and interagency collaboration at the national and local levels in government with other stakeholders. 'The law aims to reduce child mortality, support all areas of child development, prepare young children for formal schooling, and establish early intervention systems for those with special needs,' the PCO said in a statement. RA No. 12199 lists the following as the ECCD Council's objectives: - Reduce infant and child mortality rates, and subsequently eliminate preventable deaths, by ensuring that adequate health and nutrition programmes are accessible to young children and their parents and parent-substitutes, from the prenatal period throughout the early childhood years; - Enhance the physical-motor, socio-emotional, cognitive, language, psychological, and spiritual development of infants and young children; - Facilitate a seamless transition to, and ensure that young children are adequately prepared for, the formal learning system that begins at kindergarten; - Establish an efficient system for early identification, prevention, referral, and intervention for the wide range of children with special needs below five years of age, using the Child Find System under Republic Act No. 11650; - Reinforce the role of parents and parent-substitutes as the primary caregivers and educators of their children, especially those below five years of age; - Improve the quality standards of public and private ECCD programmes through, among others, recognition and accreditation; and upgrade and update the capabilities of service providers and their supervisors through their continuing education, reskilling, and upskilling. - Ensure that special support is provided in the delivery of the ECCD programmes and services for the poor, disadvantaged, and minority communities, and that children with disabilities are accommodated through the most appropriate languages and means of communication, and in environments that maximize academic and social development; and - Employ teachers, including teachers with disabilities, who are qualified to manage young children with developmental delays and disabilities, and train professionals and staff who work at all levels of education. Meanwhile, local government units are mandated to play a key role in implementing ECCD programmes through their respective ECCD offices. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
