THE House of Representatives has approved several bills, including measures centered on the creation of an academic-recovery program and early childhood care.
Congress voted 240-0-0 to approve House Bill (HB) 8210, or the proposed “Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program Act.”
Rep. Roman Romulo of Pasig City who chairs the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture and author of the bill said the ARAL Program aims to plug the gap between the current and the expected learning competencies among students.
“This program shall strive to ensure that the learners attain the most essential learning competencies covering the subjects of reading, mathematics, and sciences through the tutors who shall conduct the lessons in the program,” Romulo said.
“ARAL” will cover the most essential learning competencies (MELCs) under Language and Mathematics for Grades 1 to 10, and Science for Grades 3 to 10.
The planned program shall cover public-school learners who failed in the examinations and tests assessed and evaluated by the teachers; received grades that are marginally above the minimum level of mastery required in the attainment of the MELCs; and returned or are returning after a furlough.
It would hire tutors from any of the following: 1) Students of teacher-education institutions; 2) The Department of Labor and Employment’s government internship program; 3) Students in higher and technical-vocational educational institutions taking up the National Training Services under the National Service Training Program; 4) Volunteers from nongovernment organizations or civil society organizations; and 5) Individual volunteers.
Meanwhile, teachers and para-teachers participating as tutors under the program shall be compensated for their services.
Tutorial sessions can be held after school hours, on weekends, during the school year except on the day of worship following the beliefs or religion of the learner, or during semestral breaks.
The tutorial sessions shall be delivered either through face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, or blended learning.
Tutors will be provided with the appropriate training and seminars, focusing on innovative instructional techniques, interpersonal skills, social-emotional learning, and cultural competency before they participate in “ARAL.”
Early childhood care
THE chamber also overwhelmingly approved on final reading HB 10142, or the proposed “Early Childhood Care and Development [EECD] System Act,” with 242 affirmative votes.
The bill aims to eliminate infant and child death rates by ensuring adequate health and nutrition programs accessibility to young children and their parents.
It also aims to facilitate a smooth transition from homes to classroom settings and ensure that young children are adequately prepared for the formal learning system that begins at kindergarten.
The ECCD system shall have the following components: a) ECCD curriculum focused on the child’s holistic development; b) Parent education and involvement; c) Integrated nutrition and health program; d) Human resource-development program; e) Management, monitoring and evaluation; and f) The child-find system for the early identification, screening, monitoring and evaluation of children below 5 years of age, in relation to the delivery of ECCD programs and services.
The ECCD system shall apply to all provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays to achieve universal coverage for all children less than 5 years old.