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.

As schools prepare to make distance learning the norm amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Win Gatchalian has filed a resolution seeking a Senate inquiry on the implementation of Republic Act No.10929 or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act (FIAPPA).

Following Congress’ ratification of a bicameral conference committee report to establish the ‘National Academy of Sports (NAS),’ Senator Win Gatchalian said this means a significant boost in the development of sports in the country and develop world-class Filipino athletes.

Senator Win Gatchalian is seeking a Senate inquiry that would assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country’s basic education system.