As the country commemorates the first National Higher Education Day on May 18, Rizal 2nd District Rep. Fidel Nograles on Tuesday called for the creation of a new roadmap to address the learning crisis caused by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
“We have to take a clear-minded view of the situation. Baka kasi hindi na akma ang targets natin dahil nag-iba na ang labor requirements dahil sa pandemya,” Nograles, vice chair of the House Committee on Education, said.
Nograles pointed out that curricula should also be recalibrated to take into account immediate and future needs, as more and more offices adapt to systemic changes to cope with new realities.
The neophyte solon said that with the business landscape shifting due to the pandemic, there is a need to assess whether higher education students are being adequately prepared to fill workforce requirements in the future.
“Ngayon pa lang dapat pinaguusapan na ito. We need a systematic approach in tackling this very relevant issue, and we need to talk about it now, otherwise we risk derailing our recovery,” Nograles said.
“Nagbabago ang business models, nagbabago ang teknolohiya, nagbabago ang pangangailangan ng tao––kailangan akma ang edukasyon natin sa mga realidad na ito.”
The solon lamented that the country’s failure to do so “could result in more people mired in poverty if we do not improve the quality of our education and produce ‘undesirable’ graduates that businesses do not need nor wish to employ.”
He emphasized the need to address gaps that have been identified in the education sector during the past year, such as connectivity issues, lack of adequate learning materials, and other resources to support both teachers and students.
Nograles said he expects the Commission on Higher Education to take the lead in organizing a dialogue among stakeholders from the government, private sector, and academe to discuss the education sector’s path.
Nograles pointed out that curricula should also be recalibrated to take into account immediate and future needs, as more and more offices adapt to systemic changes to cope with new realities.
With Congress resuming its session, the lawmaker also expressed hope that more funds will be allotted for the education sector in the P405.6 billion Bayanihan 3 bill as well as for the 2022 budget.
He added that he expects the Commission on Higher Education to take the lead in organizing a dialogue among stakeholders from the government, private sector, and academe to discuss the education sector’s path.
Nograles is a member of the CHED’s Technical Panel for Public Administration representing the government.