A new poll on distance learning woes reveals how the digital divide hounds parents and learners nationwide amid the COVID-19 pandemic. For Senator Win Gatchalian, the basic education sector’s recovery should accelerate efforts in expanding access to both internet connectivity and gadgets for learning.

Senator Win Gatchalian condemned reports of sexual harassment involving faculty members of the Far Eastern University High School which went viral on social media platforms. Some students recently shared via Twitter their recollection of how they were sexually harassed by some of their male teachers before the pandemic.

While there are more than a thousand public schools currently serving as isolation facilities, Senator Win Gatchalian urged the national government to accelerate the construction of quarantine centers and field hospitals to ease the burden on the country’s health care system.

Following the deaths of five Department of Education (DepEd) personnel in Isabela and the continued spike of COVID-19 cases in the country, Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the government anew, including the education department, to uphold the welfare of teachers.

A nationwide academic break? Senator Win Gatchalian disagrees, while maintaining that the decision to implement an academic break should be left to basic education and higher education institutions.

More than a year ahead of the 2022 polls, Senator Win Gatchalian pushes anew for tax exemption on the honoraria, travel allowance, and other benefits granted to poll workers, especially the teachers, officials, and personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd).

While Republic Act 10354 or the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 (RPRH Law) mandates age and development-appropriate reproductive health education, a March study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) reveals the lack of adequate materials and accessible teacher trainings for its effective implementation.

While the sagot-for-sale scheme remains prevalent despite being discouraged by the Department of Education (DepEd) and flagged in Senate panel hearings, Senator Win Gatchalian emphasized that DepEd, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and academic institutions should step up in probing and curbing various forms of distance cheating.

Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the Department of Education (DepEd) to uphold the welfare of teachers as ‘NCR Plus’ has been placed under the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).