SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian is optimistic that presumptive Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio will be able to implement reforms in the education sector.

He hailed the decision of presumptive President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to appoint his running mate as secretary of the Department of Education.

Citing Duterte-Carpio’s landslide win in the vice presidential race, Gatchalian said she has political capital to ensure that much needed reforms in the education sector — including a review of the K to 12 system — will be implemented.

“She is given more than 60 percent of the votes. In terms of political capital that’s huge. That’s a lot of political capital she can use to reform our education system,” the senator said in a statement.

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture reiterated the urgency of addressing the crisis in the education sector considering the dismal performance of Filipino learners in international assessments.

“We cannot do business as usual in the next six years. Someone should take charge and reform many of our processes and systems in order to improve our education system,” he said.

Gatchalian ran on a platform of improving the quality of education in the country.

He vowed to ensure that reforms like the Excellence in Teacher Education Act or the Republic Act 11713, which he sponsored and authored, are properly implemented.

The Excellence in Teacher Education Act aims to improve the quality of teacher education and training.