SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday again called for the creation of a National Public School Database that will be the repository of information on learners.

His proposal is contained in the proposed Public School Database Act or Senate Bill 478.

The chairman of the Committee on Basic Education said that physical documents can be easily damaged and lost due to fragile storage, flood, fire and other disasters.

“Batay sa karanasan natin noong kasagsagan ng pandemya, nakita natin ang napakahalagang papel ng teknolohiya, hindi lamang para sa pag-aaral at pagtuturo kundi pati na rin sa pamamalakad ng ating mga paaralan. Kaya naman isinusulong natin ang paglikha ng National Public School Database upang gawing mas madali ang proseso ng ating enrollment, at matulungan ang ating mga guro at mga school heads,” Gatchalian said.

Under the bill, the Department of Education will develop, operate and maintain a National Public School Database that contains learner information such as school grades, personal data, good moral record, and improvement tracking, among others.

The database will also include other data such as students’ exam scores, grade levels, attendance and immunization records.

School administrators shall have access to these data.

The lawmaker said that a national public school database will facilitate systematic monitoring of learners’ records and progress, which are vital in school assessment, planning, and setting of operational targets.

The DepEd is further mandated to formulate a Database Information Program, which will train education professionals on the development of the National Public School Database, as well as the maintenance of information it contains.

By storing learners’ school records in a database, school heads and teachers are assured that these important documents are preserved and easily accessible.