Philippine President Bongbong Marcos has approved a proposal to create a Cabinet cluster that will consolidate the efforts of various government agencies in addressing challenges within the country’s education sector, particularly during this critical period of “learning crisis.”
The Cabinet cluster for education will be composed of officials from the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), Department of Education (DepEd), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), along with those from the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Budget and Management.
Presented to the President by Second Congressional Commission on Education Executive Director Karol Mark R. Yee, the Cabinet cluster for education will create a 10-year integrated national education and workforce development plan, which will “anchor” CHEd, DepEd and TESDA’s programs that will ensure that only one coherent direction will be followed.
DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara said the Cabinet cluster for education’s goals include tackling the issues of budget gaps and skill mismatch among teachers. He also added that DepEd has been ordered by the President to guarantee there are sufficient guidance counselors available to provide learners with essential support, and that they would start procurement activities for school buildings even before the national budget gets passed.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Business for Education said in a statement that “the need for an interrelated, whole-of-nation approach to education involving DepEd, TESDA, CHEd and other government agencies has never been more urgent, as we work to bridge the gaps from basic education to employability,” adding that they “believe this Cabinet cluster and the appointment of an education czar can set the motion for the much-needed long-term vision and plan for education and human capital development of the country.”
