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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPU 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
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S. No. 
Introduced by Senator S. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Education is a right and not a privilege. It is an instrument in awakening a 
child to the socio-political, economic, and cultural realities. It is also an important 
weapon in shaping up a child's moral and spiritual values. As such, providing 
quality education is the most important function of the State and local 
government. 
Preparatory education is a stage which is vital in shaping up the values, 
developing the academic interest of the child and enhancing the confidence and 
self-esteem of the child. 
In fact, child educators agree that starting formal 
education at preschool age has substantial benefits to the child and to the society 
as well. 
Despite the benefits derived, only few children can avail of a preparatory 
education. Children from poor families are usually left behind and wait until they 
reach the right age to be admitted to grade school. 
This bill will give opportunity to many children who maybe gifted but are 
born to poor parents a chance to avail of an early education especially those in 
the rural areas where pre-schooling is not yet widespread. 
This is also in 
accordance with the provision of the Constitution mandating the State to protect 
and promote the right of the citizens to quality education and to take appropriate 
steps to make such education available to all. 
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, &.,A 
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SERGIO OSMENA 111 
Senator 


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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPU 
1 
OF THE PHILIPPINE 
1 
First Regular Session 
Introduced by Senator S. R. Qsmeiia 111 
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AN ACT 
INSTITUTIONALIZING 
FREE 
PUBLIC 
PREPARATORY 
EDUCATION, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 
1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Free Public 
Preparatory Education Act of 2004.” 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the 
State to institutionalize and provide free public preparatory education to all 
qualified Filipino children in order to promote their physical, social, intellectual, 
emotional and skills stimulation and value-formation to sufficiently prepare them 
for formal elementary education. 
SEC. 3. Statement of Objectives. - The Free Public Preparatory 
Education program, hereinafter referred to as the Program, shall be implemented 
in accordance with the following objectives: 
a. 
To make preparatory education compulsory for all five (5) to six (6) 
years old children as part of the formal education ladder; 
To implement an adequate preparatory education program that will effectively 
provide the necessary physical, social, intellectual and emotional activities 
needed by the preparatory school children. 
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SEC. 4. Definitions. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall 
mean: 
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(a) Free Public Preparatory Education - children from five (5) to six (6) old 
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enrolled in day care centers established, administered, maintained and 
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funded by national and local government units, and those public 
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preparatory schools which may be established by law, shall be free 
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from payment of tuition and other school fees; These qualified children 
shall finish one (I) 
year of schooling before they are admitted to 
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Grade I .  
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(b) Tuition Fee - refers to the fee representing direct costs of instructions, 
training and other related activities and for the student’s use of the 
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instruction and training facilities. 
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(c) Other School Fees - refer to those fees, which cover other necessary 
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costs supportive of instruction, including but not limited to medical and 
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dental, athletics, library and laboratory fees. 
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SEC. 5. Implementation of Free Public Kindergarten Education. - The 
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system of free public preparatory education is hereby institutionalized as part of 
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compulsory basic formal primary education. It shall commence on the school 
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year immediately following the approval of this Act. In case there is no adequate 
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number of classrooms available for immediate use, the existing classrooms in 
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public elementary schools and barangay day care centers shall be used 
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temporarily until the national government provides for sufficient facilities to 
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accommodate the preparatory school children nationwide. 
SEC. 6. Applicability of Other Laws. - Republic Act No. 5546 which 
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prohibits the collection of contribution from school children in the public, primary, 
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intermediate and high schools, shall be applicable to public preparatory schools. 
SEC. 7. Implementing Agency; Powers and Functions. - The Program 
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shall be implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd) through the 
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organization of preparatory school classes in public elementary schools. 
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Pursuant to said mandate, the DepEd shall exercise the following 
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powers and functions: 
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a. Oversee, administer and supervise the implementation of the 
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program throughout the country; 
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b. Provide properly trained preparatory education teachers and make 
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available all existing facilities of public elementary schools for pre- 
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school use until funds for the construction of pre-school classrooms 
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are made available; 
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c. Authorize the opening of preparatory education classes in all public 
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elementary schools as part of the education ladder, including the 
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registration/ accreditation of barangay day care centers that are 
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currently holding preparatory school classes; 
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d. Formulate a standard preparatory education curriculum in order to 
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attain quality, efficiency and access. In addition to providing the pre 
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school children with general skills, knowledge and values, such 
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curriculum must include reading and arithmetic. 
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e. Provide a regular training program to preparatory education 
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teachers to keep pace with modern trends, methodologies and 
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concepts on early childhood education. 
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f. Perform such other duties as may be necessary and relevant to 
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ensure the effective implementation of the program. 
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Annual General Appropriations Act. 
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SEC. 8. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to implement the 
provisions of this Act shall be charged to the appropriations for the DepEd under 
the current General Appropriations Act. Thereafter, such amount as maybe 
necessary for the continuous implementation of this Act shall be included in the 
SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws or parts thereof, inconsistent with 
any provision of this Act shall be deemed repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. IO. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
complete publication in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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