Press Release
December 1, 2008

ROXAS VOWS REFORMS IN DEFECTIVE EDUCATION SYSTEM

The Senate will prioritize proposed reforms in the country's defective education system that will encourage more Filipino students to reach college level and enable them to land better jobs after graduation, Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas said today.

Roxas, the new chairman of the Senate committee on education, said the Senate will push a strategic program of investment in the education system that has seen a steady decline in the number of students reaching high school level and the quality of their learning abilities.

He has proposed through Senate Bill No. 2294 the Omnibus Education Reform Act that will require the government to meet world standards in the education system.

"Ang uunahin kong ayusin ay ang palpak na sistema ng pag-aalaga at pagtuturo sa ating mga estudyante at maging sa mga bulok na eskwelahan sa iba't ibang parte ng ating bansa (I will tackle first the defective system and ensure proper care and education for our students and the dilapidated schools around the country)," Roxas said.

Roxas will also require the Department of Education to come up with a 10-year strategic program for the education sector to address the problem of low learning abilities among students and the low graduation rate.

He complained that while other governments in the world spend 5%-6% of their country's gross domestic product (GDP) for education, the Philippines spends only the equivalent of 2.5%-3% of GDP for education. As a result, the Philippines suffers from lack of nourishment of students, a shortage of classrooms and teachers, and low quality of graduates.

Recent studies showed that 91% of Filipino high school students are squeezed in crowded classes of 41 and more, thus reducing their ability to learn. Out of 100 students who enroll in grade school, only 65 finish Grade 6.. Of these, only 43 finish high school.

"Nakakabahala na lalong sumasama ang kalidad ng ating sistema ng edukasyon, pero eto at walang ginagawa ang administrasyon kundi itulak ang Cha-Cha at protektahan ang mga gaya ni Jocjoc Bolante (I'm deeply worried that while the quality of the education system is worsening, the administration is doing nothing but push Cha-Cha and protect corrupt officials like Jocjoc Bolante)," Roxas said.

He said the Senate education committee will go full-blast in pushing passage of the Omnibus Education Reform Act.

SB 2294 calls for, among others, the following:
-  A 10-year Strategic Education Reform Program designed by the DepEd;
-  Use of the mother tongue as medium of instruction for Grades 1-3;
-  A mandatory school-feeding program for Grades 1-2;
-  Periodic diagnostic tests to evaluate the performance of students;
-  Offering of electives to equip students with the necessary skills sets; and
-  Intensive training and upgrading programs for teachers.

"Instead of Congress wasting its time on Cha-Cha, I propose that we prioritize reforms

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