In a significant move to overhaul the Philippine education system, the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) presented its Year 2 report, ‘Fixing the Foundations,’ to Speaker Martin Romualdez on Monday. The report, handed over by EDCOM 2 co-chairpersons Baguio Rep. Mark Go and Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo, calls for urgent reforms to address foundational issues within the education sector.
During a plenary session, Rep. Romulo highlighted the critical need to focus on early childhood education, nutrition within the first 1,000 days of life, and ensuring literacy by the end of Grade 3. He stressed the importance of prioritizing these foundational elements to build a robust education system that can meet the needs of current and future generations.
The report, compiled from 97 research studies and 45 consultations conducted in 2024, revealed alarming statistics. Only 25 percent of Filipino children receive adequate energy intake during their first 1,000 days, and one in four children under five suffer from stunting. In basic education, many Grade 3 students lag one to two years behind in reading and mathematics, according to an upcoming UNICEF study.
Further challenges include a severe shortage of textbooks, with only 35 out of 94 required titles delivered to public schools by January 2025. Additionally, natural disasters significantly disrupt learning, as evidenced by a school in the Cordillera Administrative Region that lost nearly half of its school days in 2024 due to typhoons and suspensions.
EDCOM 2 Commissioner and Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre emphasized the urgency of implementing the report’s recommendations, describing it as a ‘road map’ to improve the education system. Romulo reiterated EDCOM 2’s commitment to presenting a comprehensive national education and workforce development plan to Congress by the end of 2025, which will include long-term reform strategies, budgetary priorities, and policy recommendations.
Romulo concluded by calling on the Department of Education (DepEd) to address these issues with urgency, transforming the current crisis into an opportunity to rebuild and enhance the education system to match the potential of the Filipino people.