Roxas pushes for Omnibus Education Reform Bill

After working on measures that would help people cope with the expense side of their daily needs, Senator Mar Roxas is now pushing for an omnibus measure that would ensure the people’s incomes in the long-term: education reform.

“Huwag nating kalimutan ang ‘income side.’ At para sa akin, ang pinakamabisang pamamaraan para masiguro natin na may kikitain ang, at patuloy na magkakaroon ng pagkakataon para sa, ating mga kababayan ay ang pagsasaayos ng ating education system at pagbibigay sa kanila ng tama’t wastong educational preparation. (We should not forget the ‘income side.’ And to me, the best way to ensure incomes and opportunities for our people is through reforming our education system and giving our children proper educational preparation),” he said.

Roxas, President of the Liberal Party, said “we need to fix not only the roof but the whole house which is our education system,” as Filipino students are being left behind, compared to their counterparts in Asia and the world.

Among the reforms he is seeking through his Senate Bill 2294, the proposed Omnibus Education Reform Act of 2008, is instituting the “mother tongue” or local language as medium of instruction.

“It had been found out 20 years back that children learn faster in the local language rather than a strict English-only or Tagalog-only system,” he said. He pointed out that this is backed by decades of UNESCO research and even by Philippine experience.

Roxas is also pushing for an expanded 12-year basic education program. This would include competency evaluation at grades three and six, a remedial year between grade school and high school, and an “output-oriented” high school curriculum that would equip graduates with the right skills, whether they choose to pursue college or already be employed.

“Kilalang-kilala tayo sa Asya at sa buong mundo na English-competent, well-educated. Pero dumadating na ang panahon na sa ating limited 10-year education program, nakikita na yung agwat ng kakayahan ng ibang bansa kumpara dito sa atin,” he said.

“Hindi na natin maaaring gawing kapital yung 10 years na education program natin, kasi mahusay man iyan ay may extra two years yung iba. Kaya kailangan makahabol tayo. Kung hindi, ang mga trabaho ay hindi pupunta dito sa atin at pupunta sa ibang bansa,” he added.