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27 C
Philippines
Tuesday, February 18, 2025
27 C
Philippines
Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Gatchalian raises alarm over gaps in early education

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Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, co-chairperson of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), called for urgent reforms to strengthen the foundations of learning among Filipino children.

“The message is clear and unambiguous: we need to fix the very foundations of the system. We must realign our priorities to the earliest stages of education,” the senator said, following the release of the commission’s Year Two Report.

“From the stunted growth of early learners to deep deficits in literacy and numeracy, these problems do not just hinder our individual potential; they reverberate throughout a lifetime,” he continued.

The report, titled “Fixing the Foundations,” highlighted the vulnerability of children during their formative years. 

“In our first year at EDCOM, we confronted the harsh realities embedded in our education system, such as systemic issues of underinvestment, disjointed governance, and inequitable access to quality education that have plagued our nation for decades,” he said.

The report revealed that many families lack access to Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) programs due to insufficient child development centers (CDCs).

Gatchalian emphasized the importance of addressing nutrition during a child’s first 1,000 days.

One alarming finding is that only 25% of Filipino infants aged 6 to 12 months meet the recommended energy intake.

Additionally, one in four children under five years old is stunted, reflecting widespread malnutrition.

Despite a law mandating daycare centers in every barangay, over 5,800 barangays still do not have these facilities.

“It is imperative for us to squarely and consistently address these gaps. We hope that with the impending passage of the amending law to the Early Years Act of 2013, which has passed both houses, we will effect lasting and meaningful reform for early childhood,” Gatchalian said.

The proposed measure aims to provide universal ECCD access for all children under five years old by expanding the National ECCD System nationwide.

Gatchalian also called for the effective implementation of the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program under Republic Act No. 12028, designed to help students recover from learning losses caused by the pandemic.

“Through this landmark law, we can provide interventions to learners in need, especially those who are struggling to meet minimum proficiency levels required in reading, mathematics, and science,” he explained.

Gatchalian urged policymakers to prioritize foundational issues amid the many challenges facing education today.

“All these findings point to one clear message: we must act now to fix the foundations of our education system,” he concluded.

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