SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Sunday stressed the need to prioritize measures addressing the education crisis.

In his bid to focus on learning recovery, the senator filed a Senate resolution caliing for an inquiry on the implementation of the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 or the K to 12 Law or Republic Act 10533.

Gatchalian pointed out that based on the results of international large-scale assessments, learners failed to master basic competencies and lagged behind their peers abroad.

The senator said that among his top priority measures is the Teacher Salary Increase Act, which seeks to raise the Salary Grades of Teachers I to Teachers III.

Other measures filed by Gatchalian in the 18th Congress which were refiled include the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning or ARAL Program Act and the 21st Century School Boards Act.

The proposed ARAL Program Act seeks to institute a nationwide learning recovery program to address the impact of Covid19 school closures.

The program seeks to focus on the most essential learning competencies in Language, Mathematics, and Science. The 21st Century School Boards Act, meanwhile, seeks to strengthen local government units’ involvement in improving the quality and delivery of education.

Also included in the priority measures of Gatchalian in the 19th Congress are the Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education Act, the Digital Transformation in Basic Education Act, the Senior High School Reserve Officers Training Corps Act, and the Mental Health in Basic Education Act.

“Sa ating mga panukalang batas, tutukan natin ang pagtugon sa krisis sa edukasyon at ang pagbangon ng sektor mula sa pinsalang dulot ng pandemya ng Covid19. Titiyakin nating makakatanggap ang kabataang Pilipino ng dekalidad na edukasyon, lalo na’t ito ang isa sa mga pundasyon ng maunlad na bansa,” he said.