Gatchalian to lead basic education panel inquiry on school opening

PHILIPPINES, August 7 - Press Release
August 7, 2024

Gatchalian to lead basic education panel inquiry on school opening

Senator Win Gatchalian said the Senate Committee on Basic Education is set to conduct an inquiry today, August 7, on the opening of School Year (2024-2025) which will tackle the readiness of teachers and the availability of quality learning materials for the rollout of the MATATAG Curriculum.

The first phase of the MATATAG Curriculum's rollout begins this school year and covers learners from Kindergarten, Grades 1, 4, and 7. The public hearing, scheduled on August 7, will also discuss the implementation of the Department of Education's (DepEd) national learning camp.

While the national learning camp seeks to address learning loss, Gatchalian previously raised that the program is not capturing students who need the most intervention. The senator has been pushing for the passage of the ARAL Program Act (Senate Bill No. 1604) to provide a national learning program grounded on premises such as well-systematized tutorial sessions and well-designed intervention plans.

When it comes to learning materials, the DepEd previously committed to delivering 80% of textbooks for learners in Kindergarten, Grades 1, 4, and 7 by July. The year one report by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) revealed that since 2013, when the K to 12 curriculum was introduced, the DepEd procured only 27 out of the 90 required textbook titles for Grades 1 to 10. The Commission also found that only learners in Grades 5 and 6 have the complete set of textbooks for all subjects.

"Inilunsad natin ang MATATAG curriculum upang matulungan ang ating mga mag-aaral na maging mas mahusay sa kanilang pag-aaral. Ngayong sisimulan na natin ang pagpapatupad nito, mahalagang masuri at matiyak natin ang kahandaan ng DepEd at ng ating mga guro," said Gatchalian, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.

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Estado ng pagbubukas ng klase bubusisiin ng Senado --Gatchalian

Nakatakdang magsagawa ang Senate Committee on Basic Education ngayong araw ng pagdinig upang talakayin ang estado ng pagbubukas ng School Year (2024-2025), ayon kay Senador Win Gatchalian. Kabilang sa mga tatalakayin ang kahandaan ng mga guro at dekalidad na mga learning materials para sa pagpapatupad ng MATATAG Curriculum.

Ngayong school year nakatakdang ipatupad ang unang yugto ng MATATAG curriculum kung saan saklaw ang Kindergarten, Grade 1, 4, at 7. Nakatakda ring talakayin sa gagawing pagdinig ang pagpapatupad ng Department of Education (DepEd) ng national learning camp.

Bagama't layon ng national learning camp na tugunan ang suliranin ng learning loss, dati nang pinuna ni Gatchalian na hindi naaabot ng naturang programa ang mga mga mag-aaral na lubos na nangangailangan ng tulong. Matatandaang isinulong ni Gatchalian ang pagpasa sa ARAL Program Act (Senate Bill No. 1604) na bubuo ng national learning program na may sistematikong tutorial sessions at intervention plans na may maayos na disenyo.

Pagdating naman sa mga learning materials, matatandaang sinabi ng DepEd noon na maihahatid nito ang 80% ng mga textbook para sa mga mag-aaral ng Kindergarten, Grade 1, 4, at 7 pagdating ng Hulyo. Lumabas sa ulat ng Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) na simula noong 2013 pagkalunsad ng K to 12 curriculum, 27 lamang sa 90 na textbook na kinakailangan para sa Grade 1 hanggang 10 ang nabili na ng DepEd. Lumabas din sa pag-aaral ng Komisyon na mga mag-aaral lamang sa Grade 5 at 6 ang may kumpletong mga libro para sa lahat ng subject.

"Inilunsad natin ang MATATAG curriculum upang matulungan ang ating mga mag-aaral na maging mas mahusay sa kanilang pag-aaral. Ngayong sisimulan na natin ang pagpapatupad nito, mahalagang masuri at matiyak natin ang kahandaan ng DepEd at ng ating mga guro," ani Gatchalian, Chairperson ng Senate Committee on Basic Education.