LUBAO, Pampanga- Citing studies showing that 50 percent of brain formation of a person stops at five years of age, former Education Sec. Jesli Lapus has urged the next Congress to pass a law making kindergarten mandatory in all public schools.
“In public schools, they (children) are denied that (opportunity to fully develop their mental faculties by five years of age),” Lapus said in an interview here with Punto.
“There is social injustice there. Already, we are under fire from the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) on this,” he lamented.
Lapus said that Pres. Arroyo, whose term expires on June 30, has already taken action on this issue by implementing kindergarten in many public elementary schools, even without any legislation.
“We already have 1.4 million pupils in kindergarten in these schools, but there are still about 700,000 left out,” he said.
Lapus said, however, that legislation would still be needed for mandatory kindergarten since only Congress could provide for regular budget for it.
“One grade level added to the 10-year grade cycle (including four years in high school) would require 10 percent of the (education) budget,” he noted.
He described the need for kindergarten in public schools as “very crucial.”
“If we have to prioritize anything, it should be mandatory kindergarten, “ he said, as he noted that at present, many public school pupils drop out upon reaching Grade 3 apparently because of academic diffulties, among other reasons.
“The pupils in public schools are not given the needed early childhood training, while those belonging to wealthy families have three years of pre-schooling before landing on Grade 1,” he said.
He said “there is no use adding Grade 7 or Grade 8 to the cycle if the pupils drop out in Grade 3.”
Lapus said that the Arroyo administration has allocated some P16 billion for basic education needs, including the establishment of public school kindergarten.
He stressed that day care centers nationwide have already been absorbed by DepEd, its teachers now receiving regular pay from the national government.
“So there’s no reason why day care centers should charge fees from parents. The absorption of day care centers by the DepEd should add up to the savings of parents,” he stressed.
Lapus said that his proposal for mandatory kindergarten included the tapping of day care centers, which is still under the social welfare office of local governments.
“Since the buildings are already there, we can save on cost in establishing mandatory kindergarten by tapping the day care centers and training their teachers,” he said.
“In public schools, they (children) are denied that (opportunity to fully develop their mental faculties by five years of age),” Lapus said in an interview here with Punto.
“There is social injustice there. Already, we are under fire from the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) on this,” he lamented.
Lapus said that Pres. Arroyo, whose term expires on June 30, has already taken action on this issue by implementing kindergarten in many public elementary schools, even without any legislation.
“We already have 1.4 million pupils in kindergarten in these schools, but there are still about 700,000 left out,” he said.
Lapus said, however, that legislation would still be needed for mandatory kindergarten since only Congress could provide for regular budget for it.
“One grade level added to the 10-year grade cycle (including four years in high school) would require 10 percent of the (education) budget,” he noted.
He described the need for kindergarten in public schools as “very crucial.”
“If we have to prioritize anything, it should be mandatory kindergarten, “ he said, as he noted that at present, many public school pupils drop out upon reaching Grade 3 apparently because of academic diffulties, among other reasons.
“The pupils in public schools are not given the needed early childhood training, while those belonging to wealthy families have three years of pre-schooling before landing on Grade 1,” he said.
He said “there is no use adding Grade 7 or Grade 8 to the cycle if the pupils drop out in Grade 3.”
Lapus said that the Arroyo administration has allocated some P16 billion for basic education needs, including the establishment of public school kindergarten.
He stressed that day care centers nationwide have already been absorbed by DepEd, its teachers now receiving regular pay from the national government.
“So there’s no reason why day care centers should charge fees from parents. The absorption of day care centers by the DepEd should add up to the savings of parents,” he stressed.
Lapus said that his proposal for mandatory kindergarten included the tapping of day care centers, which is still under the social welfare office of local governments.
“Since the buildings are already there, we can save on cost in establishing mandatory kindergarten by tapping the day care centers and training their teachers,” he said.
