Legarda pushes systems-based education reform to advance equity and human development

Senator Loren Legarda, Co-Chairperson of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) and Chairperson of Senate Committee on Higher, Technical, and Vocational Education, called for a sharper, systems-based reform of the Department of Education (DepEd) that links classroom realities with national development goals, during the Commission’s sectoral review with DepEd officials.

“Education is the system that enables every other reform to work,” Legarda said. “It is the mind that guides every hand that builds. From health to livelihood, from industry to defense, every pillar of progress stands on the strength of an educated people.”

Drawing from EDCOM II’s analysis, Legarda noted that the education system continues to bear structural inefficiencies: a backlog of about 165,000 classrooms, only 30 percent of existing school buildings in good condition, and 32,916 teaching and 22,124 principal positions still needed nationwide, with 1,338 posts for school heads remaining vacant. Each School Division Office (SDO) staff supports an average of 1,237 learners and 33 schools, highlighting the overstretched local bureaucracy.

Legarda commended DepEd’s ongoing responses to these challenges, including the creation of 20,000 new teacher items and 10,000 Administrative Officer II positions, and its One School, One Principal target to professionalize school leadership. DepEd has also issued the first Medical Allowance Guidelines, raised the Teaching Support Subsidy for private school teachers from P18,000 to ₱24,000, and doubled the Teaching Supplies Allowance to ₱10,000 through the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act, a measure that Legarda championed.

DepEd reported that it is building 328 Child Development Centers with local governments, developing Project Ligtas, a tool that maps school geohazards, and launching Project Talino for data-driven partner matching. It also rolled out Project SIGLA to monitor nutrition outcomes and scaled up early childhood and feeding programs for learners.

Legarda also raised the full implementation of the National Environmental Awareness and Education Act of 2008, which she authored, and inquired into how culture and history are taught. DepEd affirmed that both environmental literacy and cultural identity are integrated across the curriculum.

Legarda emphasized sustained funding for the Alternative Learning System (ALS) and Indigenous Peoples Education (IPED) programs. For School Year 2023–2024, DepEd reported that only 46 percent of ALS learners completed the program. “When education fails to reach the poor, the loss is not only in learning but in productivity, opportunity, and national growth,” Legarda said.

Legarda reaffirmed that EDCOM II’s review aims to align education governance with measurable human development outcomes. “Our goal is to build an education system that expands capability, reduces inequality, and prepares every learner to participate fully in national life.”

Legarda, isinusulong ang systems-based education reform sa edukasyon para sa pag-unlad ng Pilipino

Hinimok ni Senadora Loren Legarda, ang Co-Chairperson ng Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), at Chairperson ng Senate Committee on Higher, Technical, and Vocational Education ang mas matalim at sistematikong reporma sa Department of Education (DepEd) na mag-uugnay sa aktuwal na sitwasyon sa mga silid-aralan, at sa layunin ng pag-unlad ng bansa.

Ipinanawagan niya ito sa isinagawang sectoral review ng komisyon kasama ang mga opisyal ng DepEd.

“Education is the system that enables every other reform to work,” paliwanag ni Legarda.

“It is the mind that guides every hand that builds. From health to livelihood, from industry to defense, every pillar of progress stands on the strength of an educated people.”

Batay sa pagsusuri ng EDCOM II, binigyang-diin ni Legarda na patuloy pa ring pasan ng sistema ng edukasyon ang malalalim na suliraning pang-istruktura: may kakulangan ng humigit-kumulang 165,000 silid-aralan at tanging 30% lamang ng mga paaralan ang nasa maayos na kondisyon.

Kailangan din ng 32,916 na guro at 22,124 na principal sa buong bansa, bukod pa sa 1,338 bakanteng posisyon para sa mga school head. Bawat kawani ng Schools Division Office (SDO) ay nagsisilbi sa average na 1,237 mag-aaral at 33 paaralan, na nagpapakita ng sobrang trabaho.

Pinuri naman ni Legarda ang mga hakbang ng DepEd upang tugunan ang mga problemang ito, gaya ng paglikha ng 20,000 bagong posisyon para sa mga guro at 10,000 Administrative Officer II, pati na ang layuning One School, One Principal para gawing propesyonal ang pamumuno sa mga paaralan.

Naglabas ang DepEd ng unang Medical Allowance Guidelines, tinaasan ang Teaching Support Subsidy ng mga pribadong guro mula ₱18,000 tungong ₱24,000, at dinoble ang Teaching Supplies Allowance sa ₱10,000 sa ilalim ng Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act, na itinaguyod ni Legarda.

Ipinabatid din ng DepEd na kasalukuyan itong gumagawa ng 328 Child Development Centers kasama ang mga lokal na pamahalaan, at binubuo ang Project Ligtas, isang tool na nagmamapa ng mga geohazard sa paligid ng mga paaralan.

Inilunsad din ng ahensya ang Project Talino para sa data-driven partner matching, at Project SIGLA para subaybayan ang kalusugan at nutrisyon ng mga mag-aaral.

Itinulak naman ni Legarda ang pagpapatupad ng National Environmental Awareness and Education Act of 2008, na siya mismo ang may-akda, at tinanong kung paano itinuturo ang kultura at kasaysayan sa mga paaralan.

Tiniyak ng DepEd na nakapaloob sa kurikulum ang environmental literacy at cultural identity.

Binigyang-diin rdn ni Legarda ang pangangailangan ng tuluy-tuloy na pondo para sa Alternative Learning System (ALS) at Indigenous Peoples Education (IPED) programs.

Ayon sa ulat ng DepEd, 46% lamang ng mga ALS learner ang nakatapos noong school year 2023–2024.

“When education fails to reach the poor, the loss is not only in learning but in productivity, opportunity, and national growth,” wika ni Legarda.

Pinagtibay ng senadora na layunin ng pagsusuri ng EDCOM II na ihanay ang pamamahala sa edukasyon sa nasusukat na resulta ng human development.

“Our goal is to build an education system that expands capability, reduces inequality, and prepares every learner to participate fully in national life,” giit niya. (30)