SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian said that his priority bills are in line with President Ferdinand Marcos’ aspirations for the education sector.

“Bilang chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, makikipagtulungan tayo sa administrasyon upang tiyaking maihahatid natin sa bawat kabataang Pilipino ang dekalidad na edukasyon,” Gatchalian said.

The senator cited the President’s statement on giving a careful review of the K to 12 system.

Gatchalian filed Proposed Senate Resolution No. 5 seeking a Senate inquiry on the status of the implementation of the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 or the K to 12 Law.

The proposed review seeks to identify strategic solutions to improve the implementation of the law, especially amid growing dissatisfaction of the K to 12 system.

The President also said that the Philippines should do better in international rankings when it comes to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics subjects, which has been the call of the lawmaker for years now.

Gatchalian also sought the full and proper implementation of the Excellence in Teacher Education Act, which seeks to improve the quality of teacher training and education in the country.

Gatchalian’s Senate Bill 476 or the Equitable Access to Math and Science Education Act seeks to establish accessible math and science high schools across the Philippines, particularly in all provinces that do not have at least one public math and science high school.

The President also emphasized children’s need for internet connectivity, computers, and educational tools.

To accelerate the digital transformation of the basic education sector, Gatchalian filed Senate Bill 383 or the Digital Transformation in Basic Education Act, as well as Senate Bill 474 or the One Learner One Laptop Act, which will mandate the Department of Education to provide a laptop for every learner enrolled under the K to 12 program in public schools.

President Marcos also asked Congress to reinstitute the Mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps as a mandatory component of senior high school, which the senator proposed in his Senate Bill 387.