Gov’t should not be left alone in the problem on education – Samar Rep. Sarmiento

CALBAYOG CITY – Samar first district Representative Mel Senen Sarmiento said the government should not be left alone in providing solution on the problems besetting the education sector, as the government cannot provide all the facilities and materials needed in every public schools, both elementary and secondary levels.

“At present, we need 116,000 classrooms, but what the government can provide is only 40,000 classrooms and we need 108,000 teachers, but what the government can only provide so far is only 10,000, ” Sarmiento said.

The figures, according to him, only show that the education sector of the country is facing a very big problem.

“But the government alone won’t be able to do it, which is why we need everybody’s help because there are many challenges ahead that we need to deal with,” Sarmiento stressed.

With this existing problem, Sarmiento said that the government is now studying on the possible integration of the three major government agencies that are in-charge in supervising the education sector in the country.

Said plan to re-integrate the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education and the Technical Education Skills Developments Authority into one department is a way to address the existing problem that concerns the education sector to improve the quality of education and meet the international standard.

Sarmiento added that with the integration of the three agencies of the education sector, the closer coordination among the educators from the three education agencies might provide the much need reform.

Formerly, the Department of Education was called the Department of Education Culture and Sports when it was renamed through Republic Act No. 9155 of the Governance of Basic Education Act that redefines the role of field offices, which include regional offices, division offices, district offices and schools.

RA 9155 also removes the administration of cultural activities to the DepEd but culture and arts are still part of school curriculum and transfer all functions, programs and activities of DepEd related to sports to the Philippine Sports Commission.

The CHED was established on May 18, 1994 through Republic Act No. 7722 or the Higher Education Act of 1994 which was authored by Senator Francisco Tatad, which was outlined by the Congressional Commission on Education as part of the broad agenda to reforms the country’s education system.

Meanwhile, TESDA was established through Republic Act 7796 also known as the Technical Skills and Development Act of 1994 also authored by former Senator Francisco Tatad.

Said act aims to encourage the full participation of and mobilize the industry, labor, local government units and technical-vocational institutions in the skills development of the country’s human resources.

Aside from the integration of the three agencies, the move to a have a 12 year basic education system in the country is being pushed as most countries in the world are now implementing such system and among the requirements they impose in hiring applicant’s lays on the basic education background of applicants. (ROEL AMAZONA)