By Jason de Asis

SENATE OFFICE, Manila November 8, 2010-Senator Edgardo J. Angara, chair of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture will push for the Pre-School Development Act of 2010 which he filed last September to provides access to early childhood care and development programs for  Filipino children up to 6 years old which is a critical period in a child's life as it is the foundation for all future learning.

The pre-school programs main goal is to prepare the children for formal schooling by skills stimulation and values formation where this kind of early education develops both social and intellectual skills that would be important in their lives in the future. 

A nationwide pre-school program shall be implemented by the barangay with appropriate support from the DSWD where the Non-government organizations (NGOs) and private volunteers may also be tapped to help implement the said bill.

The Senator who authored a bill creating a health insurance program for the youth, and another which seeks to provide proper nutrition for Filipino children where he has been a long-time champion for children’s rights and welfare, thus education continues to be one of his legislative priorities.

By recognizing the early years as the first cycle of educational development, government would define its role in expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children.

The Senate Bill No. 2024 is now pending in the committee for education, arts and culture which aims to institutionalize Pre-School Education, Increasing the Monthly Compensation of Day Care Workers and for Other Purposes. (Jason de Asis)