On classrooms as isolation facilities: Better for LGUs to have own evacuation centers
While the Department of Education (DepEd) has allowed the use of 17,910 classrooms in the National Capital Region (NCR) as isolation and quarantine facilities, Senator Win Gatchalian said that a permanent evacuation center in every city and municipality should be part of the country’s efforts to ‘build back better’ from the COVID-19 pandemic. Though Republic Act […]
To DepEd: Ensure psychosocial, mental health support to learners, teachers before school reopening
Senator Win Gatchalian urged the government to ensure that learners and teachers are given psychosocial and mental health support while educators scramble to carry out logistical challenges and many learners experience feelings of anxiety as they await classes to begin amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Gatchalian’s ‘Education in the Better Normal’ bill seeks to formally […]
‘Academic freeze’ will increase learning losses, inequalities
While Senator Win Gatchalian was one of the first to propose a deferment of the supposed August 24 class opening to a later date due to uncertainties brought about by the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, he strongly opposes an ‘academic freeze’, warning that it would end up increasing learning losses and inequalities among the […]
Gov’t should invest heavily in education amid COVID-19 recession
With the Philippines officially in recession and growth in the education sector down 12.2 percent according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Senator Win Gatchalian is pushing for adequate education funding in the country’s COVID-19 recovery efforts. The pandemic’s impact on the education sector is manifested in private school enrollment, said Gatchalian. Based on the Department of Education (DepED) data as of August […]
Assurance on welfare concerns of teachers, non-teaching personnel should be given ahead of school opening
Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the Department of Education (DepEd) to give teachers and non-teaching staff assurance in terms of their health care needs, including the cost of their treatment, should they test positive for CoViD-19 when they start distributing self-learning modules (SLMs) for the opening of classes. Since teachers and personnel are crucial […]
Senate review on content quality for remote lessons needed
After the Department of Education (DepEd) TV drew flak for grammatical and typographical errors on some of its episodes, Senator Win Gatchalian is eyeing a Senate inquiry on the content of lessons to be used for distance learning. DepEd started the test broadcast of TV episodes on state-run Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC-13) and Solar […]
Strong anti-cyberbullying measures needed as start of classes nears
With few more days to go before classes formally begin this school year, Senator Win Gatchalian is calling for strong enforcement of anti-cyberbullying measures in schools to combat learners’ increased exposure to harassment and threats amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Gatchalian cited Republic Act No. 10627 or the “Anti-Bullying Act of 2013,” which requires all elementary and secondary schools to […]
On flexible learning transition: Assist small private universities with financial woes
Senator Win Gatchalian is seeking increased government support for small and medium-sized private universities’ transition to flexible learning amid the CoViD-19 pandemic. A flexible approach to teaching and learning means students can learn when, where and how they prefer it to be. In a Senate panel hearing, Gatchalian raised that these smaller institutions have […]
To gov’t: Ensure learners with disabilities’ access to health care services amid school opening
With few more days to go before classes officially reopen, Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the Department of Education (DepEd) to ensure that learners with disabilities continue to receive access to therapies and other health care and rehabilitation services. While DepEd preparations are underway to provide learning modules to learners with disabilities, Gatchalian emphasized […]
