SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian is pushing for the passage of the Batang Magaling Act or Senate Bill No. 2367, a proposal that will strengthen the work immersion program for senior high school learners to boost the work readiness of senior high school graduates.

Gatchalian’s call followed the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of Education and the Private Sector Advisory Council, which would enhance the work immersion program and align the curriculum with current industry standards.

Ten public schools are set to participate in the pilot program.

For Gatchalian, signing the agreement is a welcome development and a step in the right direction since it aligns with the Batang Magaling Act, which he filed.

Aside from ensuring the work readiness of SHS graduates, the proposed measure also seeks to align schools’ curricular offerings and the SHS program’s work immersion component with market needs identified by industry partners and government agencies.

It also seeks to institutionalize the provision of free national competency assessments for the awarding of national certifications.

“Kung maisasabatas natin ang Batang Magaling Act, lalo nating mapapatatag ang ugnayan sa pagitan ng ating mga paaralan at ng pribadong sektor upang matiyak na handa sa trabaho ang ating mga senior high school graduates,” said Gatchalian, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.

The bill also seeks the creation of the National Batang Magaling Council, which will be composed of the DepEd, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, the Department of Labor and Employment, three national industry partners, one national labor group, and the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines.

The Batang Magaling Act will also mandate the DepEd to ensure the SHS program’s compliance with TESDA’s quality assurance framework and training regulations.