ANGARA SUPPORTS KINDERGARTEN SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM

Senator Edgardo J. Angara expressed his support for the Department of Education's (DepEd) kindergarten-level summer education program to be launched next week.

The Kindergarten Summer Program, which is set to run for eight weeks in all DepEd-registered schools, ensures that pupils are ready to enter the more challenging elementary level.

"I'm glad that the DepEd is taking concrete steps to address this problem in our country-where a significant number of students get into grade school without the skills and knowledge needed for more demanding academics," said Angara.

Angara, chair of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture, has long been a champion of early education for our nation's children.

"This is a critical period in a child's life-the rapid development of their minds and bodies allow them to learn a great deal. Later in their lives, this knowledge will help them adjust to the increasing difficulty of the curriculum," explained Angara.

To this end, he authored and filed Senate Bill No. 2024 or the "Pre-School Development Act of 2010" early in the 15th Congress. The bill seeks to provide universal access to quality care and education for Filipino children six years old and below.

"Providing early childhood education would stimulate not just intellectual, but emotional and social growth for these students. Through the leadership of the new administration, perhaps we could make this a standard practice in the country," he said.