PASAY CITY—The Senate Committee on Basic Education moved aggressively on June 2, to overhaul the nation's schooling system, gathering key stakeholders to debate a sweeping package of reform bills. 

Led by Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, lawmakers confronted deep-seated gaps in school administration, slow student performance, and underutilized private sector partnerships. 

The panel's aggressive push signals a legislative rush to modernize education governance and reverse the ongoing learning crisis among Filipino students.

Central to the discussions was Senate Bill No. 1853, which aims to establish a mandatory K to 3 Foundational Learning and Nurturing Care Program. 

Senator Legarda emphasized that targeting these critical early years is vital for ensuring young learners lock down essential literacy, numeracy, and emotional skills before falling behind. 

Lawmakers also hammered out critical updates to the Governance of Basic Education Act and proposed amendments to scale up the Adopt-A-School Act, aiming to pull in massive private sector support.

"Taken together, these measures reflect a shared objective: to ensure that our education system is better governed, better coordinated, and better equipped to deliver quality learning opportunities," Senator Legarda highlighted. 

Education officials and private sector leaders actively weighed in on the proposals, aligning resources to create a more unified, functional network for the country's youth. 

The committee is expected to consolidate these bills into a single major legislative push to fast-track classroom implementation.