Senator Christopher “Bong” Go lauded President Rodrigo Duterte for signing new laws to improve the country’s education system and make it more inclusive for all Filipinos amid various challenges Filipinos, particularly the underprivileged youth, are facing.

These include Republic Act No. 11650 which institutes services and programs for learners with disabilities in support of inclusive education, and eight new school laws separating and converting extension or annexed schools into independent national schools.

“Education is a constitutionally enshrined right which the State must protect and promote. Thus, ensuring education for all should be a top priority,” stressed Go.

“For this to be achieved, it is vital that opportunities to learn and receive quality education are accessible to all those who so desire,” he added.

RA 11650, which was co-authored by Go, aims to enhance the quality of education in the formal learning sector by providing free support services as well as programs that are tailored to the needs of differently-abled learners.

It mandates the implementation of a Child Find System, a scheme for locating and evaluating learners with disabilities who have not received basic education services, and facilitating their inclusion into the general education system.

The programs and services under the measure will be delivered through Inclusive Learning Resource Centers (ILRC) which will be established in every municipality and city.

Each ILRC will be staffed with teachers with special training, teacher aides, licensed social workers and other allied professionals who are trained to interact with and instruct learners with disabilities.

To enhance the quality of education, the Act also directs schools, child development centers and ILRCs to develop Individualized Education Plans to meet the unique educational needs of each learner.

Meanwhile, the school measures seek to address the need to make public schools more accessible vis-à-vis the growing population of students.

The school laws include measures converting Balbalan Agricultural and Industrial School-Balbalan Proper Extension in Balbalan, Kalinga into an independent national high school to be known as Eastern Balbalan National High School; converting the Roberta De Jesus Elementary School-Disiplina Village Elementary School Extension in Valenzuela City into an independent elementary school to be known as Disiplina Village Elementary School; converting the Lydia D. Martinez Memorial High School-Sugod Senior High School Extension in Sorsogon City, Sorsogon into an independent senior high school to be known as Sugod Senior High School; converting the Arcelo Memorial National High School-Liloan National High School Annex in Liloan, Cebu into an independent national high school to be known as Liloan National High School; converting the Arena Blanco National High School-Tigtabon Annex in Zamboanga City into an independent national high school to be known as Tigtabon National High School; converting the Manicahan National High School-Lamisahan Annex in Zamboanga City into an independent national high school to be known as Lamisahan National High School; converting the Libudon National High School Sanghay Extension in Mati City, Davao Oriental into an independent national high school to be known as Sanghay National High School; and converting the Malinao High School-Pinamulaan Annex in Banisilan Cotabato into an independent national high school to be known as Pinamulaan National High School.

The conversion and the separation of schools from their mother schools will capacitate the converted and independent national high schools to acquire their own equipment and facilities, and introduce additional programs responsive to the needs of the students and the communities they serve.

The Senator also filed SBN 396 in 2019 which seeks to amend the Local Government Code of 1991 by expanding the application of the Special Education Fund. This allows local government units to maximize their resources and adopt new education policies and learning techniques.

The measure also allows the fund to be used in the operation of the Alternative Learning System, including the payment of salaries, allowances and other benefits of ALS teachers.

By implementing such student-centered approaches, Go expressed confidence that the government would effectively expand access to and improve the delivery of education and skills training.

It would also strengthen the Philippine workforce by providing the proper conditions so more qualified Filipinos can compete successfully in the global market.

“Amid the ongoing health crisis, we should continue to look for ways to ease the mental, emotional and financial burdens of our students and their families,” said Go.

“Hangad natin ay hindi lang mas maraming estudyanteng nag-aaral. Target din natin na mas maraming nakakapagsitapos ng pag-aaral,” he added.