Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the national government to give subsidies that would keep private schools afloat amid the COVID-19 pandemic, warning that neglecting these institutions would lead to drastic effects such as overly-crowded public schools and unemployment among teachers and staff.

Senator Win Gatchalian has filed a bill that will strengthen the involvement of local government units (LGUs) in providing inclusive and quality education, a move that will boost the education sector’s efforts to ‘build back better’ from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senator Win Gatchalian has filed a bill that mandates the preparation of a Safe Schools Reopening Plan (SSRP) under the “New Normal” in education.

The Senate has approved on third and final reading a bill that gives the President the authority to postpone the opening of classes beyond August.

With the start of the enrollment period and the transition to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ), Senator Win Gatchalian emphasized that class opening should be guided by a risk-based approach to address safety and health concerns for students, teachers, parents, and other school personnel to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the Department of Education (DepEd) to have dialogues with parent-teacher associations (PTAs) to address lingering concerns in the roll-out of the Learning Continuity Plan (LCP) for SY 2020-2021.

A bill that seeks to allow the opening of classes beyond August has reached the Senate floor. Senator Win Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, sponsored Senate Bill No. 1541, which amends Section 3 of Republic Act No. 7797 or  “An Act to Lengthen the School Calendar from Two Hundred (200) Days to Not More Than Two Hundred Twenty (220) Class Days.”

Senator Win Gatchalian has filed a bill proposing the creation of a ‘National Education Council’ (NEDCO) to institutionalize national coordination and harmonization of policies among the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

Senator Win Gatchalian urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to ensure the continued education of learners with disabilities or special needs in the roll-out of its Learning Continuity Plan (LCP) for school year 2020-2021. Gatchalian said that addressing the needs of these learners would prevent them from dropping out.