Senator Legarda pushes for reforms in higher and technical education

Senator Loren Legarda led the discussion on six priority bills aimed at modernizing governance in higher and technical education and expanding scholarship opportunities for Filipino students.

Legarda is chairperson of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education and Co-Chairperson of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II).

A news release from the senator's office said the committee agenda on April 23 covered the following items:

• Strengthening of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Charter: SB Nos. 1036 and 1427

• Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Modernization Act: SB Nos. 1413 and 1449

• Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs) Governance Act: SB Nos. 504, 623, 1402, and 1415

• Presidential Merit Scholarship Program Act: SB Nos. 1913, 1954 and HB No. 8477

• Strengthening State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) Governance Act: SB Nos. 706 and 1414

• Philippine Professional Standards and Quality Assurance System Act: SB No. 1426

She underscored that reforms are long overdue, noting that the charters for both the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) were enacted more than 30 years ago.

“The fundamental problem is institutional. CHED’s legal mandate has not kept pace with the sector’s growth, diversification, or the policy commitments the Philippine government has made in subsequent decades,” Legarda said.

EDCOM II highlighted the structural challenges facing local universities and colleges (LUCs).

The report highlights significant disparities in faculty compensation and a concerning lack of compliance with CHED recognition requirements.

The Commission noted that local government units with fewer resources struggle to recruit qualified faculty due to lower salary grades. This issue perpetuates a cycle of lower-quality education in these institutions.

The proposed reforms for SUCs include differentiated autonomy based on performance, mandatory certification for governing board members, and the establishment of a Philippine Higher Education Leadership Academy to improve succession planning.

Regarding the TESDA Modernization Act, the proposal seeks to replace the current board with a board of advisers, expand the Secretariat to oversee enterprise-based and community skills development, and mandate impact evaluations for all scholarship programs.

Meanwhile, the Professional Standards and Quality Assurance System Act aims to harmonize the overlapping mandates of CHED, TESDA, and the Professional Regulation Commission.

This legislation addresses outdated professional laws that currently restrict necessary curriculum updates.

Legarda closed the hearing by affirming the committee’s commitment to refining the proposed reforms through technical working groups.

By anchoring these reforms on governance, accountability, and access, Legarda highlighted that education remains central to national development.

This focus ensures that Filipino learners, particularly those from low-income families, can pursue quality education and secure better opportunities for the future.

-Veronica Pulumbarit/Paraluman News