: Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasang Pambansa, Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1782

HOUSE BILL NO.

Authored by Hon. JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The 1987 Constitution, Article XIV, Section 1 Mandates the state to
Protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels
and to make quality education accessible to all. The sad fact, however, is
that Philippine Education is now in crisis and appropriate reform measures
should be implemented by the national government.

Data from the Department of Education show that out of 100 children
who enroll in Grade 1, only 65 complete Grade 6 and only 43 complete high
school. The greatest drop-out rates occur between grade 1 and 3, where
more than 65% of children are actually already over-age. For children who
remain in school, only 23% students in grade 6 achieve reading with
comprehension and only 7%, 2% and 16% of 4" year high school students
achieve the required mastery of English, science and math respectively of
the colleges who apply for jobs in the ICT sector, only 2% to 7% are
accepted.

The proposed bill seeks to identify strategic education reforms aimed
at specific quality and quantity targets for each stage of education. Access
to quality elementary education is widened by requiring the use of the
mother tongue as a mode of instruction in the early years of elementary
schooling, investing in teacher training so this can be done effectively, and
providing nutrition intervention that will help young children overcome the
health problems that hinder them from attending and. completing their
education. Access to qualify and relevant high school education is improved
by establishing a two-track curriculum that will equip students for their
academic or business pursuits. Basic Education is expanded to a full twelve
(12) years and pré-school is made universal and cumpolsary. To further
ensure that quality outcomes benchmarked to international norms are


achieved, this bill provides for intensive in-service teacher training especially
in the sciences and mathematics.

In view of the forgoing, approval of this bill is earnestly requested

ae”

JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasang Pambansa, Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BILL No. 1782

Authored by Hon. JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO

AN ACT
MANDATING ATTAINMENT OF GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE
EDUCATION OUTCOMES, ADOPTING AN OMNIBUS
EDUCATIGN REFORM PROGRAM, IDENTIFYING FOR THAT
PURPOSE THE STRATEGIC COMPONENTS OF SUCH
PROGRAM, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES

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

CHAPTER 1.
GENERAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This act shall be known as the “Omnibus
Education Reform Act of 2010.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy- The State Recognizes the primacy of basic
education to secure the future of the youth and to achieve the
development of our nation. Towards this end, it is hereby declared a
policy state to established and maintain a more responsive system of
education designed to ensure the education outcomes benchmarked
to international standards in basic education are achieved, specifically

" that every child have a solid foundation in Math and Science by the
last year of elementary school; that every child be proficient in
English and Filipino by the second year of high school; and that every
high school graduate will have the competencies to pursue a higher
degree of learning or be prepared to enter the world of work by


establishing a two-track secondary education program that allows for
both academic and practical fields.

In pursuance to the state’s mandate under Article XIV, Section 2(1) of
the 1987 Constitution to establish, Maintain, and support a complete,
adequate and integrated system of education relevant to needs of the people
and the society, the State shall give priority to educational reforms that
address gaps in the country’s education program by establishing a twelve
(12) year basic education system in recognition of the global norm; investing
in teacher updating in the country; institutionalizing the use of mother
tongue as the medium of instruction for young school children and adopting
nutritional in and retention of young children in the first three years of
schooling.

The State Also declares as a policy the imperative to broaden access of
the youth to qualify education through appropriate prioritizing of education
spending in order to ensure that inputs critical to the teaching and learning
Process are provided for.

SEC.:3. Coverage.- The strategic education reform program established by
this Act shall be applicable to all public and private schools nationwide
with primary and secondary education programs.

SEC 4. Strategic Education Reform Program. — Within sixty (60) days from
the enactment of this Act, Department of Education, through the
Secretary, in consultation with the appropriate government agencies
and experts in field of education management and administration,
shall formulate a ten (10) year operational education investment plan
that will achieve the mandatory targets identified in section 2 above
through the use of education reform program components set forth in
Chapetr 2 hereinafter.

CHAPTRE 2
STRATEGIC EDUCATION REFORM PROGRAM COMPONENTS

SEC. 5. Mother tongue as Medium of Instruction - The mother tongue or
first language shall be used as a medium of instruction for Grades 1,2and3
for all subjects. Filipino and English shall be taught as separate subjects.

As used in this act, mother tongue shall refer to language first learn by the
child and customarily use at home.


SEC. 6. School-Feeding program.- The implementation of an in-school

direct feeding program shall henceforth be mandatory for Grade 1 and

. 2 in all public schools located in food poor provinces and food poor

municipalities as identified by the National Nutrition Council. The

School-feeding program shall be implemented by the Department of

Education as the lead agency, together with the department of social
welfare and development and the Local Government Unit Concerned.

All Public Schools shall encourage to continue the implementation of
the in-school feeding program beyond the required Grade levels to
sustain the health and nutrition school children.

SEC. 7. Performance standards. - A diagnostic test shall be conducted for
every student at the end of grade 3 and 6 for purpose identifying those
individuals who will require special learning assistance as they proceed
to the next grade level, provided that, such diagnostic test shall be
designed and administered by a third-party non-governmental
consortium or organization of experts in the field of education, to be
identified or organized by the president for this purpose. The diagnostic
tests shall measure performance standards in conformity with the
following guidelines:

(1) Every student, having completed grade 3, shall be reading
independently based on international reading tests and be
numerate;

(2) Ever student, having completed Grade 6, shall be reading
independently in English and Filipino, with comprehension, and
have solid science and math competencies;

SEC. 8. Twelve (12) Years of Basic Education. The department of Education
shall prescribed a twelve(12) year basic education curriculum for all
public and private schoolchildren nationwide, including the number of
years to be assigned to the elementary and high school levels, to be
implemented on the sixth year of the affectivity of this act.

SEC. 9. Revision of Secondary School Curriculum. - All high School
institution shall emply a curriculum, duly approved by the Department
of education, Designed to ensure that every student will provide an
Opportunity for either qualifying for university education or being
“prepared for the world of work. The Curriculum for the early years of
high school shall aimed to reinforce the Science, Math, English, and
Filipino competencies of the students. Thereafter, a two track
curriculum, duly approved by the Department of Education, Shall be
used for the latter years of high school. There shall be intega=rated in


SEC.

this two-track curriculum various elected courses which will equip the
student with the knowledge and skills to meet his/her more advanced
academic goals or work goals, such as but not limited to business,
agribusiness, information technology and other specialized fields,
provided however, that the regional offices of the Department of
Education shall Certify that the business or trade-oriented elective
courses offered by secondary schools within their jurisdiction are
relevant and valuable to the respective local economies and will
provide the student an opportunity for gainful employment.

10. Teacher Qualifications, Education and Development-

A. Licensure Examination - A certification of proficiency in English
shall be mandatory for all applicants for the Teachers Licensure
Examination, provided that, all teachers with license duly issued by
the professional Regulation Commissions at the time of the
effectivity of this Act shall be required to show the same
certification of proficiency in English as requirement for any
promotion, position upgrading or change of assignment or post.

B. In-service Training. - All primary school teachers who handled
classes for grade 1 to 3 shall undergo an incentive teacher training
Program which will focus on teaching methods using the mother
tongues as medium of instruction. An in-service training program to
upgrade the quality English, Science and Math’ teaching shall be
completed by all Non- Majors Teaching English, Science and Math in
High school within the next five (5) years.

Thereafter, all primary and secondary school teachers involve in the
teaching of science , math and specialized subjects shall undergo
a continuous teacher training program that concentrates on their
field of specialization and elective courses handled once every five
(5) years.

The results of the foregoing trainings programs and examination
requirements shall also be the basis for any promotion and amount
teaching load to be given.

C. Hiring of Part -time Teachers.- The Department of Education, within
sixty(60) days from the implementation of this Act, shall provide
the mechanisms for hiring of part-time secondary school teachers
qualified to teach in Science and Math which will implemented as
part of this Act.

SEC.11 Compulsory Year of Pre-School Education- The Department of

Education , in consultation with other government agencies and


experts in the field of education administration, shall develop and
implement a comprehensive plan and budget which will make
attainment of critical readiness-for-school indicators among children
entering Grade 1 universal and compulsory beginning the sixth year
from the effectivity of this Act. Towards attaining this goal, the
Department shall work with the local governments and other
community -based organizations to universalize the population
coverage of a compulsory year of pre-school education.

Pre -school centers shall undergo training in order to teach reading and
writing using the mother tongues as the medium of instruction.

CHAPTER 3
IMPLEMENTING MECHANISM

SEC.13. Education Planning and Budgeting-

A. The Department of Education shall henceforth formulate rolling
budget plans with continuous five (5) year planning horizons,
consistent with both quantity and qualitative target outcomes ,
enabled by multi-year budget ceilings established by the
Department of Budget and Management , Department of Finance
and the National Economic Development Authority which will
provide for specific annual increase in the education budget ceiling,
allocating majority of the increase to the Maintenance and other
Operating Expenses and Capital Outlay.

B. The Commission on Higher Education shall earmark such amount
as Chairman may determine for the following priority areas:

(1) Science and Math courses;
(2) Engineering courses: and
(3) Education courses

The Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education
shall also develop a system of matching grants in order to leverage
increase and focused local school board spending toward outcomes
and programs set forth in Sections 2,6,8,9 and 10 above as well as
reward quality parent voluntarism in communities.

SEC.14. Reportorial Requirements- The Secretary of Education shall submit
an annual report of its performance on the implementation of this Act
to the Office of the President and to the Congressional Oversight


Committee hereinafter created, provided that, the report shall have
been subjected to an independent validation and evaluation by the
consortium or organization identified in Section 7 above. It shall also
submit all other reports and information as may be required by the
Congressional Oversight Committee.

The Annual Report shall contain the status of the following:
(1) Reading and Numeracy skills of Grade 3 pupils;
(2) Science and Math competencies of graduating elementary school
students;
(3) English and Filipino proficiency of 2" year high school students;
(4) Tertiary school acceptance rates of graduating high school
students;
(5) Year to year cohort survival rate of elementary and high school
students;
(6) Such other information or data that may be required by the
Office of the President and Congressional Oversight Committee.
The Department of Education shall also keep and maintain records and a
database containing the aboved-enumerated information , which shall be
made readily available to the public.

SEC.15 Rules and Regulations- The Department of Education, in
Consultation with the Department of Social Welfare and
Development and other relevant government agencies, shall , within
one hundred twenty (120) days from the effectivity of this Act,
promulgate necessary rules and regulations to effectively
implement the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 16 Congressional Oversight Committee- For the effective
implementation of this Act , there shall be created a Congressional
Oversight Committee, hereinafter referred to as the Congressional
Oversight Committee for Education Reforms, to be composed of four
(4) members each from the Senate and the House of
Representatives, which shall meet bi-annually to oversee
implementation of this Act. The Congressional Oversight Committee
for Education Reforms shall be jointly chaired by the Chairpersons of
the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture and the House
Committee on Basic Education and Culture.


CHAPTER 4
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC.17. Appropriations- For the initial implementation this Act, the amount

of Nineteen Billion Pesos (Php 19,000,000,000.00) shall be

* appropriated to the Office of the Secretary of Education , in addition
to the budget of the Department of Education . Such amount as may
be necessary for the effective implementation of the ten (10) year
education investment plan formulated under Section 4 hereof and for
the continued implementation of this Act shall thereafter be provided
for in the General Appropriations Act, consistent with the budget plan
created pursuant to Section 12 of this Act.

SEC. 18 Seperability Clause- If, for any reason , any section or provision to

this Act shall be held unconstitutional or invalid , the other section or
provision not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 19. Repealing Clause- All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,

proclamations, rules and regulations which are inconsistent with the
provision of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec.20. Effectivity Clause.- This Act Shall take effect fifteen (15) days from

its publication in the official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers
of general circulation.

Approved,