INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Senator Eduardo Angara has called on the House of Representatives to pass its version of the Early Years Act once Congress reopens in July.
“I hope the House of Representatives will prioritize the passage of the counterpart measure of the amended bill as they had supported the passage of the original measure,” said Angara in a statement Tuesday.
“EYA will make early childhood education a national responsibility to equalize opportunities available to all Filipino children,” said Angara, head of the Senate committee on education, arts and culture and author of the measure.
He added that the bill would benefit an additional nine million Filipino children aged zero to four years old.
“There are 12 million kids today from the ages zero to four. Only three million of these are enrolled in day-care centers. Thus, the EYA is also set to benefit the remaining nine million children not accommodated and reached by the existing system,” Angara said in a statement.
He adds that if the EYA would be passed, early childhood education would help in significantly reducing repetition and drop-out rates.
“Quality early childhood education has been shown to improve the scholastic abilities and school readiness of young children, thereby preventing school dropouts,” Angara said.
“EYA is essential to the long-term success of our educational reforms. I urge everyone to support this measure. Education is an investment for our future,” he added.
The EYA will likewise provide community training for parents to equip them with information and skills they need as primary caregivers and educators of their children.
The Senate passed the amended EYA or Senate Bill 3206 after President Benigno Aquino III vetoed the original bill. The amended bill defines early childhood education as that for children aged zero to four which differentiates it from kindergarten which is for children aged five to six.
The bill also provides that day care workers will be professionalized and will be given continuous development and improvement programs to help them implement the Early Childhood Care and Development Council (ECCD Council) Program.
Aside from the EYA, Angara was also the proponent for the recently enacted K to 12 program or the Kindergarten Education Act.
The Senate and Congress declared sine die adjournment last June 7 and will resume their sessions on July 23.