[ REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11899, July 23, 2022 ]

AN ACT CREATING A SECOND CONGRESSIONAL COMMISSION ON EDUCATION TO REVIEW, ASSESS, AND EVALUATE THE STATE OF PHILIPPINE EDUCATION AND RECOMMEND INNOVATIVE AND TARGETED POLICY REFORMS IN EDUCATION, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) Act."

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the declared policy of the State to protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality, accessible, adequate and relevant education at all levels. The State shall make education as a critical component of human capital development, socio-economic equality, inclusive growth, sustainable development, and fulfillment of human rights.

The State likewise adheres to the constitutional mandate of giving importance to the crucial roles of education, science and technology, arts, culture, and sports to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and promote total human liberation and development.

Towards this end, the State shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all, recognize the complementary roles of public and private education, and establish, maintain, and support a complete, adequate, and integrated system of education relevant to the needs of the people and society.

SECTION 3. Objectives of EDCOM II. — In order to place education at the center of the development policies of the State, guided by a national vision on education, EDCOM II shall:

(a) Set specific, targeted, measurable and time-bound solutions that are products of a comprehensive assessment and evaluation, effective planning, and strategic investments in education;

(b) Develop a more holistic, harmonized and coordinated education ecosystem, through a review of the mandates of the three (3) agencies of education, namely: the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA);

(c) Prioritize the adoption of digital transformation in education, and the use of science, technology and innovation through the promotion of digital literacy, and development of critical thinking, problem-solving and other related core competencies at par with global standards;

(d) Promote the development of 21st century skills, including creativity, communication, collaboration, social skills, leadership, and initiative;

(e) Institutionalize educational reforms necessary to meet the new challenges to education, such as the implementation of alternative learning and delivery modes for basic education, higher education and post-secondary technical-vocational education and training as part of the adjustments and responses to the global pandemic, and the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution characterized, among others, by digital revolution or the rapid development of information technology such as artificial intelligence, automation, data analytics, blockchain data sharing, quantum computing, and internet of things analytics; and

(f) Recommend the adoption and institutionalization of relevant and meaningful assessment tools, such as teaching and learning competencies assessment tools, based on the best global practices which shall be used by educational agencies and institutions for their continued monitoring, evaluation, and development.

SECTION 4. Creation of EDCOM II. — There is hereby created an EDCOM II, hereinafter referred to as the Commission, to undertake a comprehensive national assessment and evaluation of the performance of the Philippine education sector for the purpose of recommending transformative, concrete and targeted reforms in the sector with the end in view of making the Philippines globally competitive in both education and labor markets.

SECTION 5. Composition of EDCOM II. — The Commission shall be composed of ten (10) members, with five (5) members from the Senate and five (5) members from the House of Representatives.

The Chairpersons of the Senate Committees on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, and on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education, and the Chairpersons of the House Committees on Basic Education and Culture, and on Higher and Technical Education shall serve as Co-Chairpersons of the Commission.

The other three (3) members each from the Senate and the House of Representatives shall be designated by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively.

The members of the Commission shall receive no compensation, but travelling, communications, and other necessary expenses shall be allowed, subject to existing laws, and rules and regulations.

SECTION 6. Duration of EDCOM II. — The Commission shall accomplish its mandate within three (3) years from its organization. It shall organize itself and commence its mandate upon the effectivity of this Act.

SECTION 7. Powers and Functions of EDCOM II. — The Commission shall have the following powers and functions:

(a) Review, assess, and evaluate the formal and alternative learning systems of education, including continuing systems of education at all levels and the policies on licensure examinations conducted by the Professional Regulation Commission, the employment eligibility by the Civil Service Commission, and the competency assessment and certification by the TESDA;

(b) Recommend the improvement in the harmonization of the policies and programs of the DepEd, CHED, and TESDA;

(c) Formulate short-term and long-term policy and program recommendations that consist of specific, targeted, measurable and time-bound solutions to include, but not limited to, the following:

(1) sectoral plans and targets;

(2) education governance and management;

(3) physical and digital infrastructure;

(4) educational trainings and programs;

(5) financing; and

(6) coordination among departments and sectors concerned with human resource management and development.

(d) Approve the workplan for the conduct of the national review, assessment and harmonization tasks and the budget for the programs of the Commission and all disbursements therefrom, including compensation of all personnel;

(e) Hire and appoint employees and personnel on temporary, contractual, or on consultancy basis;

(f) Hold hearings and receive testimonies, reports and expert advice on the status of Philippine education, exhaust available options to identify problems, and consolidate coherent courses of action as remedies;

(g) Summon by subpoena any public official or private person to testify before it, or require by subpoena duces tecum the production of necessary documents, as may be necessary;

(h) Secure from any department, bureau, office or instrumentality of the government such assistance, including technical information, preparation and production of reports, and the submission of recommendations or plans, as may be required;

(i) Conduct multi-stakeholder consultations, using proper mechanisms and guidance;

(j) Collaborate with emerging and innovative industries and services for the sharing of important information relative to their practices on specialized training or apprenticeship programs in line with Republic Act No. 7686, or the "Dual Training System Act of 1994," and other related laws, to prepare the learners, students and the newly-hired workforce to meet the demands of 21st century skills and the Fourth Industrial Revolution;

(k) Review and act upon the recommendations of the Technical Secretariat or Standing Committees, or both, as it may deem appropriate;

(l) Report to Congress its accomplishments on a periodic basis, its findings and recommendations on actions to be taken by Congress, the departments, and other government agencies concerned with education, and provide a final report at the end of the existence of the Commission. The report shall include a roadmap with clear key performance indicators and results framework to address the learning crisis, with the following guiding principles:

(1) Strategic — solutions have to be key drivers of improved learning outcomes;

(2) Inclusive — solutions need to address learning inequities;

(3) Resilient — solutions are sustainable and adaptable to global trends and future challenges; and

(4) Systemic — solutions should address issues that are systemic in nature.

(m) Recommend additional legislation to further the objectives of this Act;

(n) Formulate the necessary rules and guidelines for the effective implementation of this Act; and

(o) Exercise all other powers necessary to achieve the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 8. National Assessment and Evaluation; Scope. — Pursuant to Section 4 of this Act, the national assessment and evaluation shall include the following:

(a) Review of the observance of the mandates of the laws that created the three (3) education agencies, namely: DepEd, CHED and TESDA;

(b) Determination of factors that have contributed to the continuing failure in performance on identified subject areas to meet the desired international and local standards;

(c) Recommendation of specific, targeted and time-bound solutions to enable the education agencies to improve their performance vis-à-vis measurable indicators and deliver accessible, inclusive and quality education that is at par with world standards;

(d) Identification of best practices of various national and international educational institutions that can be adopted across the entire education system;

(e) Proposal for a monitoring and evaluation plan to ensure the timely achievement of set targets;

(f) Determination of the role of local government units (LGUs) in the delivery of basic education services;

(g) Reduction of the gap between the learning outcomes of higher education and the required competencies of the world of work through the adoption of a higher education curriculum that is relevant and responsive to the changing demands of industries and the labor market; and

(h) Adoption and use of trends in sectoral quality and performance and evaluation, including new ways of teaching and learning, assessment and certification of knowledge and skills, improvements in education governance, and new architectural and engineering designs for schools and auxiliary facilities.

SECTION 9. Standing Committees. — The members of the Commission shall establish from among its members standing committees, to be chaired by such members or experts from multisectoral groups, and engage resource persons from the public and private sectors as may be needed.

The standing committees shall include the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Philippine Sports Commission in their respective consultations to ensure that arts and sports education are integrated into the education system.

SECTION 10. Technical Secretariat. — A Technical Secretariat, to be headed by an Executive Director (ED), shall be organized to provide technical and administrative support to the Commission in the exercise of its powers and performance of its functions under Section 7 of this Act.

The Technical Secretariat shall co-exist with the Commission.

SECTION 11. Executive Director. — The ED to be appointed by the Commission must be a recognized expert with experience both in the fields of education and management. The ED shall work full-time and shall have the rank, privileges, and emoluments of an Executive Director IV (Salary Grade 29).

SECTION 12. Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) as Research Arm. — The PIDS shall serve as the research arm of the Commission. During the course of the Commission's existence, it shall produce data-based research and provide analysis to contribute to the formulation of education policy recommendations.

SECTION 13. Education, Legislation and Policy Advisory Council. — An Education, Legislation and Policy Advisory Council (Advisory Council) is hereby created to provide the Commission with expert assistance and advice. The members of the Advisory Council shall always be present in all meetings of the Commission. The Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall choose recognized experts from the following sectors to form part of the Advisory Council: two (2) members from the academe, two (2) members from the business sector, two (2) members from the government education agencies, two (2) members who are heads of LGUs, and two (2) members from civil society organizations and development partners engaged in education.

SECTION 14. Appropriations. — The amount necessary for the initial implementation of this Act shall be charged against the available appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Thereafter, the amount necessary for its continuous implementation, including any deficiency in the current year, shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act subject to existing budgeting, accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

SECTION 15. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part of this Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts not affected shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 16. Repealing Clause. — All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, administrative orders, rules and regulations, issuances, or parts thereof inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

SECTION 17. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

This Act which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2485 and House Bill No. 10308 was passed by the Senate of the Philippines and the House of Representatives on May 23, 2022.

Approved: Lapsed into law on JUL 23 2022 without the signature of the President, in accordance with Article VI Section 27 (1) of the Constitution.

(SGD.) RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
    President of the Philippines   

Source: Supreme Court e-Library