THE House of Representatives has approved the measure ensuring the alignment of basic education and early childhood education.

Voting 242-0, the House approved on third and final reading House Bill 10142, a substitute bill for House Bill 8393 or the proposed Basic Education and Early Childhood Education Alignment Act.

The measure was filed by Negros Occidental 3rd District Rep. Jose Francisco ‘Kiko’ Benitez who cited a recent study showing 28.8 percent of Filipino children under five years old or 3.7 million children were stunted, the third highest prevalence of stunting in ASEAN.

According to UNICEF, in 2019, preschool attendance was only at 52 percent of children ages three to four years.

In 2020, as preschools closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, only 47 percent attended preschool.

The measure provides for alignment of Early Childhood Care and Development programs with existing programs on maternal and child health and nutrition.

The bill also mandates the ECCD Council to ensure alignment of the ECCD curriculum with the basic education curriculum and programs for learners with a disability, based on an understanding of learning progression and inclusive learning design.