Noy allots P2.4-B for mandatory kindergarten

MANILA, Philippines - To help Filipino children learn more and acquire world-class talents, the Aquino administration has allocated a total of P2.4 billion this year so that kids can enroll in public school kindergarten before they reach grade school.

“With the Kindergarten Education Act (RA 10157) now in place, we can give more Filipino children a stronger foundation for scholastic excellence and achievement,” Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said of the mandatory kindergarten education.

“Of course, the law will require funding for its efficient implementation, and the Aquino government has addressed this need by releasing funds that were earmarked to support the law,” he said.

The government has already set aside the funds under the 2012 General Appropriations Act to support the newly passed Republic Act 10157, also known as the Kindergarten Education Act.

The P2.39-billion fund – covered by this year’s P238.8-billion budget for basic education – was released through the Agency Budget Matrix before January 2012, the Department of Budget and Management said.

Abad said the early release will help facilitate the prompt execution of the universal kindergarten law for school year 2012-2013.

Abad noted that the 2012 appropriation for the Universal Kindergarten Law is higher than last year’s budget for kindergarten education, which amounted to P2.34 billion.

Under the Kindergarten Education Act, Filipino children from five years old and above will be required to undergo and pass kindergarten before moving up to Grade 1, the start of elementary schooling, which is until Grade 6.

The execution of this law in all public schools will help young children prepare before entering elementary proper.

“The President is determined to meet the Millennium Development Goals, particularly with respect to providing quality education for all by 2015. The passage of the universal kindergarten law only strengthens our platform for poverty reduction and sustained socio-economic growth, and we are looking forward to introducing more innovations in the way we educate our youth,” Abad said.

The Department of Education takes the lion’s share in the Social Services budget for 2012, which comprises 31.7 percent or P575.8 billion of this year’s GAA.

The education budget posted a 15.2-percent jump from the 2011 budget, in line with government efforts to ramp up public educational services across the country.