The House of Representatives has approved on second reading a measure seeking to decentralize the governance structure of the Department of Education (DepEd) and strengthen local education administration to improve service delivery and policy implementation across the country.
House Bill No. 9358 seeks to amend Republic Act No. 9155, or the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001, by enhancing the administrative and governance capacities of DepEd at the regional, division and district levels.
House Committee on Basic Education and Culture chair and Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo said strengthening DepEd’s institutional capacity at all levels would ultimately improve education outcomes for Filipino learners.
“By strengthening the institutional capacity of DepEd at all levels, we improve policy implementation, administrative efficiency, accountability, and ultimately, the quality of education delivered to every Filipino learner,” Romulo said.
Romulo said the proposal addresses governance challenges brought about by the rapid expansion of the country’s basic education system over the past decade.
“Over the past decade, our basic education system has undergone unprecedented expansion,” Romulo said.
He noted that the implementation of the K to 12 program and the establishment of senior high schools significantly increased the number of schools, learners, teachers and administrative demands nationwide, exposing limitations in DepEd’s current governance framework.
Romulo said the measure seeks to bring decision-making and support services closer to schools and communities.
“At its core, this measure is about bringing educational governance closer to our schools, our teachers, and our learners,” Romulo said.
“It recognizes that effective education reform requires not only sound policies from the Central Office, but also capable and empowered regional and local governance structures that can respond to realities on the ground.”
According to Romulo, many regional and schools division offices now oversee vast territories and rapidly growing student populations, creating increasing administrative pressures on the education system.
“Today, many Regional Offices and Schools Division Offices are burdened with increasingly complex responsibilities over vast geographic areas and rapidly growing student populations,” Romulo said.
In many provinces and cities, a single schools division office is expected to supervise hundreds of schools, including those in geographically isolated and disadvantaged communities, affecting the efficiency of supervision, service delivery and policy implementation.
To address these challenges, the bill empowers DepEd regional offices to adapt national policies according to local conditions and educational needs while providing stronger technical support and direction to schools division offices.
It also allows the establishment of more than one schools division office within a province, city, municipality or cluster thereof, subject to the approval of the Education Secretary.
The measure likewise authorizes the rationalization and creation of additional school districts where necessary to ensure efficient and accessible field-level supervision.
Romulo said the reform recognizes the need for a more flexible approach to education governance in a geographically and culturally diverse country.
“Educational governance cannot adopt a purely one-size-fits-all approach, especially in a country as geographically and culturally diverse as the Philippines,” he said.
The bill also updates the law to reflect the current governance structure of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao under Republic Act No. 11054.
It formally recognizes the authority of the region’s education minister while allowing DepEd to provide technical assistance and training support when necessary.