ROXAS: 'TIYAK ANG EDUKASYON KUNG TAPAT ANG PAMUMUNO'
EDUCATION-FOR-ALL A DOABLE GOAL

Liberal Party vice-presidential candidate Senator Mar Roxas today declared that the goal of education for all--especially for the marginalized--is doable, but only a clean and honest leadership can make this dream possible.

He said education will be the central strategy of the reform-oriented Aquino-Roxas administration for reducing poverty and building national competitiveness.

"Kung tapat at tuwid ang pamumuno, tiyak ang asenso. Sisiguruhin namin ni Pangulong Noynoy Aquino na hindi mapag-iiwanan ang ating kabataan (That is why progress is ensured with a clean and honest government. President Noynoy Aquino and I will make sure that no child is left behind)," he said.

According to the United Nations Development Program, the Philippines has a "low probability" of hitting its goal of universal primary education, as measured by elementary participation, cohort survival and completion rates.

MDG 2: Universal Primary Education

"Ibig sabihin nito, kulang na kulong ang tulong na ibinibigay ng national government sa mga pampublikong paaralan. At nasasayang lang ang baryang ito dahil sa malawak na katiwalian at mga baluktot na patakaran (This means national government support to public schools. And this is put to waste because of massive corruption and crooked policies)," Roxas said, noting that government invests only about 2% of GDP, less than half of the global norm.

He stressed that much more important than putting in ample resources is ensuring that proper and comprehensive education reform policies are in place and that leaders employ the right approach to implementing reform.

"Education is a building blocks system. Let's start by putting all our attention and resources in improving outcomes in Grade 1 within one year. Then Grade 2, until we fix Elementary Education in a span of six years," he stressed.

LP presidential candidate Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III has earlier revealed his ten-point basic education reform agenda - the most specific and reform-oriented education platform by any presidential candidate.