SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian wants to empower principals to improve the delivery of quality education and reverse the education crisis hounding the country.

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture said that the proposed revival of the Congressional Oversight Committee on Education will look at how principals can be given more autonomy and flexibility in addressing the needs of learners.

“Our public schools follow a very strict hierarchy. If the principals are restricted and the battleground is on a per school basis, it’s very difficult for them to respond,” Gatchalian said.

“That’s why I believe that part of the solution is to empower our principals — make them join the fight in this education crisis and give them the authority to improve learner outcomes and teacher education,” he added.

According to the Philippines Public Education Expenditure Tracking and Quantitative Service Delivery Study by the World Bank and Australian Aid published in 2016, schools that are managed and governed well tend to make better decisions and have better student outcomes.

The study found that the main weaknesses identified by school principals are related to autonomy. The common complaint of principals were about restrictions on the use of their operating funds.

One recommendation from the PETS-QSDS was to simplify the management requirements for these funds so that principals can have enough time for academic leadership.

“We need to look at the governance structure and analyze how we can further empower the principals so that they will have the flexibility to respond to problems,” Gatchalian said.