President Ferdinand Marcos approved in the principle the proposed creation of a cabinet cluster for education to address systemic issues in the Philippine education sector.
In a Palace briefing yesterday, Department of Education chief Sonny Angara said the proposal aims to streamline and integrate efforts across various agencies to improve the education system, which has faced criticism for its lack of coordination and effectiveness.
“We are very thankful to the President for his swift action. Actually, it’s our first presentation on this. The presentation was made by Director (Karol) Yee of the EDCOM 2,” Angara said.
“President basically toward the end of the meeting, he said, in principle, he approves of it and he’d like us to fast-track some of the actions because he sees the urgency, and it’s a very deep-seated problem,” he added,
During a recent sectoral meeting with Mr. Marcos, Yee presented the proposal, highlighting the need for a unified approach to tackle educational challenges.
The proposed Cabinet Cluster will develop a ten-year integrated national education and workforce development plan. This plan aims to ensure that all educational levels, from early childhood to higher education and technical-vocational training, receive positive interventions and support.
Yee said the country’s education system is currently facing a significant learning gap, with Philippine graduates reportedly lacking 5.5 years of education compared to global standards.
The proposal also addresses deficiencies in high school science education and guidance counseling.
According to Yee, many science teachers lack relevant qualifications, and there are significant shortages of guidance counselors, exacerbating issues like bullying and loneliness among students.
Angara, moreover, noted that the proposed cluster will include the DepEd, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline Marcos OKs proposed Cabinet Cluster for Education
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