Kindergarten law to take effect next school year

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino underscored yesterday the importance of kindergarten in a child’s life, saying that the “first step” in the country’s education process is also when the child’s mind is most active.

“By enacting the Kindergarten Law, it will now form part of the basic education curricula or our K to 12 program,” Aquino said in Filipino.

Signed into law last Jan. 20 and formally presented by Education Secretary Armin Luistro in Malacañang yesterday, Republic Act 10157, otherwise known as “An Act Institutionalizing Kindergarten Education into the Basic Education System and Appointing Funds Thereof,” states that beginning school year 2012 to 2013, all children from age five will have to undergo kindergarten, now considered mandatory before formal education.

“This means that all public school students, starting this school year 2012-2013, will have to go through pre-school before they begin their formal education,” he explained in Filipino during the formal presentation ceremony in Malacañang.

The Chief Executive maintained that the government’s advocacy to provide education for all remains a top priority of his administration, as this will provide the people the ability to improve their lives.

“Rest assured that the government will continue to create meaningful reforms that will uplift the quality of education in the country. With the help of DepEd, we will continue to push measures that will enable the K to 12 program,” the President said.