MANILA, Philippines – Tutol ang Department of Education (DepEd) sa proposed amendments sa 1987 Constitution na nagbibigay ng full control at pangangasiwa ng dayuhan sa basic education institutions sa Pilipinas.
Sa pagdinig ng House Committee of the Whole, sinabi ni DepEd Undersecretary Omar Romero na ang amyendang nilalayon ng Kongreso sa Paragraph 2, Section 4, Article 14 ng Konstitusyon ay may “far-reaching consequences and serious implications” sa mandato ng DepEd.
“The phrase ‘unless otherwise provided by law’ and its underlying rationale could potentially serve as a gateway to expand the scope of control and administration over educational institutions not solely by citizens of the Philippines but by other entities as well. In this light, the scope and limits of control and administration are put into question, including processes defining who, what, and how education shall be administered,” ani Romero.
“The most basic question is: Will it allow foreign entities to teach? For this, the Department respectfully and strongly objects to the amendment,” dagdag pa.
Nangangamba rin ang ahensya na ang pagpapalawak ng administrasyon ng mga paaralan sa foreign entities ay makakaapekto sa mga programa at commitment ng DepEd, lalo na sa implementasyon ng bagong basic education curriculum.
“It is essential that the Philippine curriculum is exclusively implemented by Filipino citizens. This ensures alignment with the specific needs and context of the country,” anang opisyal.
Matatandaan na inilunsad ang bagong Matatag Kindergarten to Grade 10 (K-10) curriculum ng DepEd noong Agosto 2023.
Tampok dito ang recalibrated curriculum na nagpapakilala ng bagong learning competency na tinatawag na “Makabansa,” na layong hubugin ang mga estudyante na maging makabayan at kilalanin ang kanilang pagkatao ayon sa kasaysayan, sining at kultura ng bansa.
Binanggit ni Romero ang Article 14 Section 3 ng Konstitusyon, na nagbibigay mandato na lahat ng educational institutions ay magpaunlad ng patriotism at nationalism ng mga kabataan.
“Having foreign entities control and administer basic education in the Philippines may run contrary to this undertaking. This begs the question: How can foreign entities who are not citizens of the Philippines and therefore may lack first-hand experience with Filipino culture and values effectively impart a sense of patriotism and nationalism to learners?” tanong niya.
“Consequently, this may result in the possible dilution of the fundamental aspects of Filipino identity, cultures, and values to be taught and worse, endanger national security.”
Sinabi ni Romero na ang pag-aalis ng third paragraph sa limit sa bilang ng foreign nationals na nag-aaral sa educational institution, at pagbabawal sa pagtatayo ng mga educational institutions na para lamang sa mga dayuhan, “poses great risks on national security due to the lack of provisions for proper supervision and control over aliens” sa Pilipinas.
“This significantly diminishes the Department’s oversight of school supervision and management, including but not limited to curriculum offerings, roster of faculty, policies, programs, and matriculation. This susceptibility to external and foreign influence raises concerns regarding national security as it may expose these educational institutions to infiltration and compromise,” pagpapatuloy niya.
Kasalukuyang pinag-uusapan sa Kamara ang Resolution of Both Houses No. 7 (RBH 7), na layong amyendahan ang Konstitusyon na mag-aalis sa 40% limit ng foreign ownership sa ilang industriya, kabilang na ang public utilities at education. RNT/JGC
