Improved school board powers, flexible fund use pushed

Senator Win Gatchalian is calling for local government units to take a more active role in improving the national education system, coinciding with a move to amend the Local Government Code to boost the fiscal capacity of LGUs.

Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance, said Sunday that strengthening the financial power of local governments must be accompanied by reforms that empower them to deliver better quality education.

“In amending the Local Government Code, it is important that we also strengthen the role of local government units in delivering and improving the quality of education,” he said in Filipino.

The senator has refiled Senate Bill 53, also known as the 21st Century School Boards Act. The measure seeks to expand the membership of local school boards, enhance their responsibilities, and broaden the allowable uses of the Special Education Fund (SEF).

Under the proposed legislation, local school boards would be tasked with creating policies tailored to improve education delivery within their specific jurisdictions.

The success of these boards would be measured by student participation rates, dropout and out-of-school youth figures, academic achievement scores, and the successful establishment of child development centers.

Gatchalian’s proposal also seeks to provide greater flexibility for the SEF, which is currently restricted in use. The bill would allow the fund to cover the salaries of both teaching and non-teaching personnel, as well as honoraria and allowances for services rendered outside of regular school hours.

The push aligns with broader government efforts to decentralize governance and empower local leaders and the senator stressed that empowering LGUs in the education sector is a key strategy to address long-standing challenges in the country’s school system.