16"" CONGRESS OF THE Republic of the Philippines
FIRST REGULAR SESSION

House of Representatives
HOUSE BILLNO. 4461

TRODUCED BY HONORABLE GUS S. TAMBUNTIN

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill secks to deliver educational advancement to the Filipino studentry through the use of alternative
means of instruction stich as print, radio, television, and other multi-media learning and teaching
technologies that allow students to study on their own without having to regularly attend class in the
conventional classroom setup,

This alternative learning system adheres with the constitutional mandate of providing access to relevant
quality education through the employment of an alternative learning system that would enable the youth
including adults to overcome geographical, socioeconomic and/or physical constraints to their completion
iary education including advance studies,

of secondary and te

ence and the rapidly changing society and
ping at par with

The prevalence of computers or the so called artificial intelli
tive cannot be ignored. It has to be addressed by k

the demand to be globally comp.
the high tech genre.

This legislation gives birth to ELearning as an alternative mode of learning. ‘This Cyber Education Bill
aims to institutionalize the Open ELeaming School System thereby defying hindrances in the effective,
systematic and advance means of computer education

is legislation is urgently sought



16" CONGRESS OF THE Republic of the Philippines
FIRST REGULAR SESSION
House of Representatives

HOUSE BILL NO.

INTRODUCED BY HONORABLE GUS S. T.

AN ACT

INSTITUTIONALIZING 1

IN THE PHILIPPINES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THERE)
PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Short je - This Act shall be known as the “Open ELearning School

System Act of 2014.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to ae:
relevant quality education through the employment of an alternative learning system that
, socioeconomic and/or

would enable the youth including adults to overcome geographic
physical constraints to their completion of secondary education and ter

-y education

including advance studi

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms ~ For the purposes of this Act, the following

terms are hereby defined

a.) Open Electronic Learning School System or ELearning ~ a system of delivering
educational services to high school, college and advance studies students utilizing print,
based communications, satellite broadcasting,

radio, television and comput
teleconferencing, and other multimedia learning and teaching technologies that allow
students to study on their own without having to regularly attend class in conventional

classrooms.

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and

b,) Distance Learning Program - an educational program whereby the teaching
learning processes are accomplished through  self-instructional materials that allow

independent study, multi-channel learning and school-family community partnership.

c) Cyber Ed / Cyber Education — computer based instructional system using active online
modules and materials accessible through the internet,

4.) Diploma/ Non diploma ~ certification of academic achievement acquired through

Learning.

€.) Conduit Schools/University and other Learning Institutions - partner schools locally
or internationally located,

f.) Accreditation Certificate - MOA between the Open System and the Conduit
Schools/university and other Learning institutions.

g.) ELearning Centers - Distance learning centers shall be established in pilot areas. The
Center is a room of building where the distance learners can conduct researches or gather
additional information on topics under study.

SECTION 4, Institutionalization of the Open School System. -to carry
out the above-declared policy, the Open School hereinafter referred to as the
hereby institutionalized in the Philippines in accordance with the provisions of the Act

System is

SECTION 5. Coverage ~ This Act shall apply to public secondary and tertiary educational
institutions with existing distance learning programs and all other such institutions that
shall later be authorized as qualified to implement the System.

All existing programs and projects of the Department of Education regarding dropout
intervention and poverty alleviation through education shall be part of the Open ELearning

School System.

ge - The System shall be open to all youth and adults who have
ppine Educational

finished elementary education and high school qualifiers of the Phi
Placement Test (PEPT).

SECTION 7. Administration and Supervision - The Department of Educatio (DepEd)
shall administer and supervise the System. ‘The Dep Ed shall create a Program attached to


the Office of the Secretary under the Office for the Cyber Ed Program with the following
duties and functions

1.) Formulate the objectives and basic policies of the System;

2.) Formulate , adopt and supplement programs that will make the System effective and
productive:

) Monitor and evaluate existing distance learning programs for the integration with the

system:
4.) Develop and validate prototype instructional distance learning materials;
5.) Shall mod
materials;
6.) Consult and collaborate with other DepEd divisions, local government units, non
government organizations (NGOs) and other private agencies for the effective operation

fy the adopted curriculum, devise a rating system, instructional strategies and

of the system:

7.) Promulgate the necessary guidelines, rules and regulations for the effective
implementation of the System:

8.) Recommend to the DepEd the annual budget of the System for inclusion
in the General Appropriations Act for the year;

9.) Linkage with conduit schools, university and other leaming institutio

10.)Perform such other tasks as may be necessary to altain the objectives of

: and

the System.

SECTION 8. Collaboration between Departmert of Education (DepEd) and Private
learning Institutions whether local or abroad - The DepEd shall sign a Memorandum of

Agreement (MOA) defining the role of the government vis conduit schools, university or
n of the system in order to ensure maximum

other learning institutions in the opera

success.

SECTION 9 Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Education
(DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Science and
Technology (DOST), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Department of Budget and
Management ( DBM) and other related agencies shall issue the necessary rules and
regulations for the effective implementation of this Act within a period of ninety (90) days

after its approval.

SECTION 10.Oversight Committee. Upon prior consultation with the Committees on
Education of the Senate and the House of Representatives, an Oversight Committee shall be

formed and shall evaluate annual reports submitted by the Program.



SECTION 11. Appropriations. = The amount necessary for the initial implementation of
this Act shall be charged against the current year’s appropriation of the Distance Learning
Program of the DepEd. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for its continued
implementation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 12. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or
unconstitutional, the other provisions not so declared shall remain in force and effect.

SECTION 13. Repealing Clause. ~ All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts
thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 14. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect immediately upon its approval.

Approved,