AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING THE KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION INTO THE BASIC EDUCATION SYSTEM AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Kindergarten Education Act".cralawLibrary
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - In
consonance with the Millennium Development Goals on achieving Education
for All (EFA) by the year 2015, it is hereby declared the policy of the
State to provide equal opportunities for all children to avail of
accessible mandatory and compulsory kindergarten education that
effectively promotes physical, social, intellectual, emotional and
skills stimulation and values formation to sufficiently prepare them for
formal elementary schooling. This Act shall apply to elementary school
system being the first stage of compulsory and mandatory formal
education. Thus, kindergarten will now be an integral part of the basic
education system of the country.cralawLibrary
Kindergarten education is vital to the academic and
technical development of the Filipino child for it is the period when
the young mind's absorptive capacity for learning is at its sharpest. It
is also the policy of the State to make education learner-oriented and
responsive to the needs, cognitive and cultural capacity, the
circumstances and diversity of learners, schools and communities through
the appropriate languages of teaching and learning.cralawLibrary
Section 3. Definition of Terms. - The terms used in this Act are defined as follows:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(a) DepEd shall refer to the Department of Education;cralaw
(b) BEE shall refer to the Bureau of Elementary Education;cralaw
(c) Kindergarten education shall be understood in
this Act to mean one (1) year of preparatory education for children at
least five (5) years old as a prerequisite for Grade I; and
(d) Mother tongue refers to the language first learned by a child.
Section 4. Institutionalization of Kindergarten Education.
- Kindergarten education is hereby institutionalized as part of basic
education and for school year 2011-2012 shall be implemented partially,
and thereafter, it shall be made mandatory and compulsory for entrance
to Grade 1.cralawLibrary
Section 5. Medium of Instruction. -
The State shall hereby adopt the mother tongue-based multilingual
education (MTB-MLE) method. The mother tongue of the learner shall be
the primary medium of instruction for teaching and learning in the
kindergarten level. However, exceptions shall be made to the following
cases:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(a) When the pupils in the kindergarten classroom
have different mother tongues or when some of them speak another mother
tongue;
(b) When the teacher does not speak the mother tongue of the learners;
(c) When resources, in line with the use of the mother tongue, are not yet available; and
(d) When teachers are not yet trained how to use the MTB-MLE program.
In such exceptional cases, the primary medium of
instruction shall be determined by the DepEd aligned with the framework
being used in the elementary level including teacher training and
production of local resources and materials under DepEd Order No. 74,
series of 2009.cralawLibrary
The DepEd, in coordination with the Commission on
Filipino Language and in close collaboration with academic and research
institutions concerned with education, shall formulate a mother
tongue-based multilingual framework for teaching and learning: Provided,
That the DepEd will include teaching strategies as defined in Section 7(c) which aims to introduce and eventually strengthen the child's
understanding of English, which is the official language.cralawLibrary
Section 6. Implementing Agency. - The
authority to regulate the organization, operation and/or implementation
of the kindergarten education program of both public and private schools
shall be vested upon the DepEd, through the creation of a new Division
under the BEE and other necessary support to achieve successful
implementation of kindergarten education to include, but not limited to,
increasing the number of kindergarten teacher positions with the
required salaries and benefits, enhancing teacher training in early
education, and providing the necessary allocations for classrooms and
chairs, facilities and equipment, and textbooks.cralawLibrary
Section 7. Duties, Powers and Functions. - The DepEd, through the BEE, shall exercise the following powers and functions:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(a) Oversee and supervise the organization, operation and implementation of the kindergarten education program;cralaw
(b) Develop the curriculum for kindergarten education
consistent with the universally accepted norms and standards, including
values formation all of which shall be developmentally appropriate, and
use of the MTB-MLE as a medium of instruction and to periodically
review such for purposes of upgrading;cralaw
(c) Develop teaching strategies using the unique feature of the MTB-MLE which shall include, but not limited to, the following:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(1) The two-track method (storytelling and reading, listening story, oral communication activities);
(2) Interactive strategies;
(3) Use of manipulative games; and
(4) Experiential, small group discussions and total physical response (TPR) among others.
The learning development materials shall consist of the following at the minimum:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(i) Listening story;
(ii) Small books;
(iii) Big books;
(iv) Experience story;
(v) Primer lessons; and
(vi) Lessons exemplars;
(a) Conceive, develop and extend a continuing
professional development program for kindergarten teachers to ensure
constant updating of their knowledge in current trends, pedagogy,
methodologies and concepts on early childhood education;cralaw
(b) Prescribe the necessary qualifications for the
hiring and accreditation of teachers who will handle the kindergarten
education program;cralaw
(c) Exercise authority over the operation of private kindergarten institutions;cralaw
(d) Supervise the establishment of various venues for
early childhood education which may be institution-based, home-based,
hospital-based or community-based, and which shall be duly accredited by
the DepEd; and
(e) Introduce innovative programs in kindergarten that shall include educational technologies, whenever applicable.
Section 8. Appropriations. - The DepEd
shall immediately include in the program of the Department the
operationalization of the free, mandatory and compulsory public
kindergarten education, the initial funding of which shall be charged
against the current appropriations for kindergarten education of the
DepEd. Thereafter, such sums which shall be necessary for the continued
implementation of the free public kindergarten education program shall
be charged to the General Fund and included in the annual General
Appropriations Act.cralawLibrary
Section 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations.
- Within ninety (90) days after the effectivity of this Act, the DepEd,
in consultation with the Department of Budget and Management, shall
promulgate the rules and regulations needed for the implementation of
this Act.cralawLibrary
Section 10. Separability Clause. - If
any provision of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, the same
shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other provisions
hereof.cralawLibrary
Section 11. Repealing Clause. -
Pertinent provisions of all other laws, decrees, executive orders and
rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of
this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.cralawLibrary
Section 12. Effectivity Clause. - This
Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(Sgd.) JUAN PONCE ENRILE President of the Senate |
(Sgd.) FELICIANO BELMONTE JR. Speaker of the House of Representatives |
This Act which originated in the House of
Representatives was finally passed by the House of Representatives and
the Senate on November 23, 2011 and November 21, 2011, respectively.
(Sgd.) EMMA LIRIO-REYES Secretary of Senate |
(Sgd.) MARILYN B. BARUA-YAP Secretary General House of Representatives |
Approved: JAN 20 2012
(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III
President of the Philippines