PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday approved, in principle, the creation of a Cabinet Cluster for Education to implement reforms in the education system for the benefit of every Filipino student and graduate.
President Marcos met with education agencies and other concerned offices at Malacañan Palace to discuss the proposal of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) to establish a Cabinet cluster for education.
In approving the proposal, President Marcos directed the agencies to devise a coherent and system-wide national integrated education and workforce development strategy, starting from early childhood education to basic education, senior high school, and beyond.
President Marcos wants the proposed Cabinet cluster to ensure that education issues are addressed as a whole system rather than in multi-agency silos.
“We are very thankful to the President for his swift action. Actually, it’s our first presentation on this. The presentation was made by (Executive) Director (Karol Mark) Yee of the EDCOM II,” Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said during a press briefing in Malacañang.
“And the President basically sa bandang dulo ng meeting, sinabi na niya na in principle, he approves of it and he’d like us to fast-track some of the actions dahil nakikita niya iyong urgency and it’s a very deep-seated problem,” he added.
Angara said the President wants positive interventions for each sector, from early child development, daycare centers, kindergarten, K to 12, college, and tech-vocational programs.
EDCOM II has also proposed that the Cabinet cluster for education be headed by an existing Cabinet member with a direct stake in education or a Presidential Adviser with the rank of Secretary.
The Cabinet cluster’s primary function will be to address the learning crisis, work towards a coherent and system-wide national integrated education and workforce development strategy, targets, and implementation plan, set agency targets and budgets, and establish monitoring and evaluation systems.
EDCOM II has recommended the inclusion of the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Council, and other relevant agencies in the proposed Cabinet cluster.
According to EDCOM II, some of the pressing concerns in the Philippine education sector include the lack of specialized training programs in higher education for child development workers and teachers, the prevalence of bullying, and the need to effectively implement the Senior High School Technical-Vocational-Livelihood Track.
