12-YR BASIC ED, SCHOOL OPENING TACKLED
BY SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

The Senate Committee on Education, chaired by Senator Edgardo J. Angara, today raised the issue of adding two years to the basic education curriculum, as well as the proposal to change the opening of classes from June to September in order to avoid the rainy season.

"The Senate Education Committee has a big task during this particular Congress," said Angara. "I think the most fundamental proposal is the additional two years in our basic education curriculum. We will organize technical working groups to study this important measure."

The Education Committee held its organizational meeting yesterday.

Angara said he will call for wider consultation on the issue of a 12-year basic education structure, with the participation of government, the academe, parents-teachers associations, student representatives, industry leaders and potential employers and members of different education advocate groups.

"We want to get the discussions as wide and far-reaching as possible so that we can hear different points of view," said Angara. Among the names suggested to become resource persons were Father Bienvenido Nebres and Dr. Isagani Cruz.

Upon the recommendation of Senator Franklin Drilon, the committee will also study the issue of moving the school opening from June to September, to make it coincide with the global practice.

"Our school opening falls on the peak of the rainy season, and we know the great difficulty our students go through to get to school. Our schools also get flooded, and classes have to be suspended in many areas where the school buildings are not typhoon-resilient. It is an issue of safety and practicality. We need to get as much technical knowledge on the issue," said Senator Drilon.

Angara, a former President of the University of the Philippines, is the author of landmark education laws including the Free High School Act, the laws creating CHED and TESDA and the massive scholarship program Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE).

During the 8th Congress, he chaired the Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) which provided important recommendations to improve the state of Philippine education.