Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1807
HOUSE BILL NO. | __

Introduced by HONORABLE WES GATCHALIAN

AN ACT
CREATING THE NATIONAL EDUCATION COUNCIL,
DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY Nt

The educational sector in the Philippines was “trifocalized” in 1994, as part of the
educational reform initiatives of the Congressional Commission on Education
(EDCOM) in 1992. The Department of Education (DepEd) - then Department of
Education, Culture and Sports - retained its mandate in basic education. Meanwhile,
tertiary and graduate education became the mandate of the Commission on Higher
Education (CHED) by virtue of Republic Act No. 7722." Finally, technical, vocational,
and middle-level education became the mandate of Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA) by virtue of Republic Act No. 7796.2

In conjunction with the abovementioned measure, the National Coordinating Council
for Education (NCCE) was created, under the Arroyo Administration, in order to
address the concerns that arose from trifocalization i.e., perceived concerns and
issues arising from possible overlaps and gaps as well as inconsistencies in and non-
alignment of policies, plans and programs of the three subsectors.3 However, this
was subsequently abolished and replaced with a Presidential Task Force to assess,
plan, and monitor the entire educational system.+

} Rep. Act No. 7722 (1994). Higher Education Act of 1994.
2 Rep. Act No. 7796 (1994). Technical Educational and Skills Development Act of 1994.

3 Exec. Order No. 273 (2000). National Coordinating Council for Education.

+ Bxec. Order No. 632 (2007). Mandating a Presidential Assistant to Assess, Plan and Monitor the Entire Educational
‘System; EO 652 (2007). Presidential Task Force to Assess, Plan and Monitor the Entire Educational System



Under the Aquino Administration, the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF)
was created to better bridge the gap between the education sector and labor market;
as well as align the PQF with international qualifications framework.’ This initiative
was institutionalized with the creation of the PQF-National Coordinating Council
(PQF-NCC) in order to: (1) encourage lifelong learning of individuals; (2) provide
employees specific training standards and qualifications aligned with industry
standards; (3) ensure that training and educational institutions comply with specific
standards and are accountable for achieving corresponding learning outcomes; and
(4) provide government with a common taxonomy and qualifications typology as
bases for recognizing education and training programs as well as the qualifications
formally awarded and their equivalents.‘

Building from the initiatives of the previous Administrations, this bill seeks to
institutionalize the National Education Council, in order to place education at the
center of its development policies, guided by a clear and long-term set of goals in the
form of a national education agenda that is a product of a long-term planning and
strategic investments in education. Furthermore, it secks to engage other
government agencies, local government units (LGUs), the business sector, the
academe, and other public and private stakeholders who play a crucial role in the
education sector.

In view of the foregoing, immediate consideration and passage of this bill is earnestly
sought.

tative, 1* District of Valenzuela

$ Exec. Order No. 83 (2012). Philippine Qualifications Network
© Rep. Act No. 10968 (2018). Philippine Qualifications Network-National Coordinating Council


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 7807

eS

Introduced by HONORABLE WES GATCHALIAN

———— ____

AN ACT
CREATING THE NATIONAL EDUCATION COUNCIL,
DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. -This Act shall be known as the “National Education
Council Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
make education as a critical component of human capital development, socio-
economic equality, inclusive growth, and sustainable development. Pursuant to
Article XIV of the Constitution which mandates the State to protect and promote the
right of all citizens to quality education at all levels, take appropriate steps to make
such education accessible to all, and establish, maintain, and support a complete,
adequate, and integrated system of education relevant to the needs of the people and
society, the State hereby adopts the following policies:

a. The State shall place education at the center of its development policies,
guided by a clear and long-term set of goals in the form of a national
education agenda that is a product of a long-term planning and strategic
investments in education;

b. The three sub-sectors of education, namely the Department of Education,
the Commission on Higher Education, and the Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority, shall strategically implement the policies and
programs under this national education agenda in a coordinated and
harmonized education ecosystem so that investments in education will lead


COIKNHaWnDn o

to the achievement of the goal of developing the country’s human capital as
an essential factor to national development; and

¢. The State recognizes that to develop such an effective and efficient education
ecosystem, the role of a national council on education is indispensable in
enabling the three sub-sectors to implement policies and programs
coherently, while engaging other government agencies, local government
units (LGUs), the business sector, the academe, and other public and private
stakeholders who play a crucial role in the education sector.

SEC. 3. Objectives. - The objectives of this Act are as follows:

a. Promote a culture of long-term, strategic, and collaborative planning among
the three sub-sectors through the formulation and implementation of a
national education agenda that will compel the adoption of a long-term vision
and focused priorities for the education sector;

b. Improve education governance in the country and ensure effective
coordination and eliminate fragmentation of education policies and programs
among the three sub-sectors; and

c. Establish an efficient institution through the creation of the National
Education Council with the necessary authority to mandate the integration
of education policies and programs, and strengthen the collaboration of the
three sub-sectors to improve education outcomes and achieve the goals set
under the national education agenda.

SEC. 4. The National Education Council. - The National Education Council,

hereinafter referred to as the NEDCO, is hereby created and attached to the Office of
the President, to develop the country’s national education agenda, goals, priorities,
and long-term national strategy, and institutionalize a system of national
coordination, planning, monitoring, evaluation, and management among the three

sub-sectors.

The NEDCO shall be composed of the following:
a. President of the Philippines - Chairperson;
b. Secretary of the Department of Education ~ Co-Vice Chairperson;
c. Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education - Co-Vice Chairperson;
d. Director General of the Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority ~ Co-Vice Chairperson;


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e. President of the Senate - Member;

f. Speaker of the House of Representatives - Member;

8. Director General of the National Economic and Development Authority -

Member;

h, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology - Member;

i, Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry - Member;

J. Secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology
~ Member;
Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management - Member;
Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government - Member;

. Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment - Member;
Chairperson of the Civil Service Commission - Member;
National Statistician and Civil Registrar General of the Philippine Statistics

bee)

Authority - Member;
Chairperson of the Professional Regulation Commission - Member; and
q. Four (4) Members to be appointed by the President from each of the following

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stakeholders: education sector, business sector, academe, and other sectors,
whether public or private, with a direct stake in education to ensure broad-
based consultation and planning.

‘The NEDCO shall meet at least twice a year. The President may designate the
Executive Secretary to attend on his behalf and preside over the meetings of the
NEDCO. The other members may not designate alternate representatives other
than their respective undersecretaries, or the officers next-in-rank to such
members, to the meetings.

Majority of the members shall constitute a quorum.

SEC. 5. The National Education Council; Powers and Functions. ~ The NEDCO
shall have the following powers and functions:

a. Develop the country’s strategic vision for education as anchored on national
development plans, long-term and medium-term goals, plans and priorities,
strategies for a coordinated and coherent implementation, and
recommendations on the corresponding investments and appropriations in
the form of a national education agenda;

b. Institutionalize a system of national coordination in the planning, monitoring,
evaluation, implementation, and management of the national education
agenda to ensure coherent strategic direction by the three sub-sectors and


avoid possible overlaps, gaps, and inconsistencies that may result from non-
alignment of policies, plans and programs;

Serve as a regular forum for inter-sub-sectoral consultations and proposals
for intervention to address cross-cutting policies and programs of the three

sub-sectors;

|. Ensure effective, harmonized, and coordinated planning among the three

sub-sectors on issues critical to the education sector including but not limited
to the following: a teacher education program that will equip teachers with
the required skills, trainings, and competencies and is suitable and
responsive to the needs of the three sub-sectors, taking into account the real
demand of the labor market and needs of the industry; an integrated
curriculum that will deliver the desired education goals, priorities, and
outcomes under the national education agenda; and a K to 12 graduates
employment plan that ensures a job-skills match between senior high school
graduates vis-a-vis the qualifications and needs of the government and the
private sector;

Coordinate with government agencies, LGUs, and other relevant sectors to
promote policy and program coherence;

Regularly monitor, evaluate, review, and update the education programs
under the national education agenda, as well as existing programs, for tighter
inter-sub-sector coordination;

Communicate, whenever it deems necessary, the country’s national
education agenda, policies, priorities, and programs to both local and
international communities, including the public reporting of the State of
Philippine Education Address;

. Implement an action agenda for the development of the country’s capacity for,

and success in, education as measured by the National Achievement Test,
Programme for International Student Assessment, Education Index,
Education for All Development Index, and other indices and measures that it
may deem appropriate in measuring the growth and development of the
education sector in the country, or among countries;

Submit annual reports to the Philippine Congress on the progress of
implementation of this Act; and

Perform other functions as may be necessary for its implementation.

Sec. 6. The National Education Agenda. ~ The national education agenda shall


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be anchored on national development plans and establish the country’s strategic
vision for education, long-term and medium-term goals, plans and priorities,
strategies for a coordinated and coherent implementation, and recommendations on
the corresponding investments and appropriations in the form of a national
education agenda. It shall provide a road map for improving education governance
through clear-cut delineation and complementation of education polices and
programs across the three sub-sectors and other stakeholders. It shalll also identify
areas and strategies to stimulate the role of other government agencies and LGUs in
the attainment of its vision.

The national education agenda shall have a minimum of five (5)-year horizon,
to be updated annually and reviewed periodically by the NEDCO. The three sub-
sectors, concerned government agencies, and concerned stakeholders shall strictly
comply with the national education agenda and shall incorporate its pertinent
policies in their respective programs.

The national education agenda shall be developed by the NEDCO, in
consultation with other relevant government agencies, LGUs, and other
stakeholders. It shall be completed within six (6) months from the effectivity of this
Act.

SEC. 7. The NEDCO Secretariat. - To provide support to the NEDCO, a
Secretariat shall be established within the Office of the President and shall be under
its control and supervision. It shall be headed by an Executive Director who shall be
nominated by the NEDCO and appointed by the President of the Philippines. The
Executive Director shall have at least ten (10) years of experience and practice in the
field of education to qualify for nomination and appointment.

The NEDCO shall determine its organizational structure, staffing pattern, and
compensation schedule as it may deem necessary, and shall appoint officers and
employees in accordance with Civil Service law, rules and regulations.

The initial staffing structure and complement of the Secretariat shall be
submitted by the NEDCO to the Department of Budget and Management for funding.
Pending the creation of the appropriate plantilla positions, the NEDCO shall
constitute an interim Secretariat within one (1) month from the effectivity of this Act,
through the temporary detail of competent personnel from the three sub-sectors.

The NEDCO shall define the duties and responsibilities of the Secretariat
which shall, in turn, formulate and adopt its own internal operating rules and


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procedures.

SEC. 8. Educational Mapping and Statistics for the National Education Agenda.
~ To ensure an evidenced-based formulation and crafting of the national education
agenda, the Philippine Statistics Authority is hereby mandated to:

a. strengthen its core unit that is dedicated to the generation, analysis,
utilization, and dissemination of all education and literacy statistics and
information, including the mapping of data related to education as a
dimension of poverty under Republic Act No. 11315 or the “Community-
Based Monitoring System Act”;

b. develop and manage a nationwide database of such statistics and
information;

¢. systematize its administrative and operational linkages with the statistical
or mapping units of the three sub-sectors; and

d. coordinate with other government agencies whose mandate requires the
conduct of community mapping programs that are relevant to the education
sector such as the Department of Interior and Local Government and the
Department of Social Welfare and Development.

SEC. 9. Annual Report. - The NEDCO shall submit an annual report to the
President and both houses of Congress on or before the last day of May to provide
an assessment of the NEDCO’s implementation of the national education agenda and
present strategies to remedy implementation gaps. The report shall also be made
available to the public through the respective portals of the three sub-sectors.

SEC. 10. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the initial
implementation of this Act shall be sourced from the current appropriations of the
Office of the President. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continuous
implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations
Act.

SEC. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days after
the effectivity of this Act, the Office of the President and the three sub-sectors, in
consultation with relevant stakeholders, shall formulate and promulgate the
necessary rules and regulations for its effective implementation.


SEC. 12. Separability Clause. ~ If any part or provision of this Act shall be
held invalid or unconstitutional, the other parts or provisions hereof which are not
affected shall remain in full force and effect

SEC. 13. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, rules, executive orders, and
other administrative issuances and parts thereof which are inconsistent with this

Act are hereby repealed, superseded or modified accordingly.

SEC. 14. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,