Pasay city: A technical working group (TWG) will be formed to harmonize education policies and programs between national agencies and the Bangsamoro government following the presentation of a major education reform report, the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) said Wednesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, the initiative was agreed upon during the 4th meeting of the Philippine Congress-Bangsamoro Parliament Forum in Pasay City, where the EDCOM 2 turned over its Year 3 Final Report outlining key challenges and recommendations for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The proposed TWG aims to align programs of the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and other national agencies with the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) to improve coordination, funding, and implementation of education reforms in the region.
"This may include clarifying the operational meaning of BARMM as a 'sub-system' of the national education system, including the delineation of roles and responsibilities among the Ministry of Basic Higher and Technical Education, Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority," Lanao del Sur Rep. Ziaur-Rahman Alonto Adiong said after moving for the TWG's creation.
The Bangsamoro Parliament concurred with the proposal.
EDCOM 2's report flagged major challenges, including high rates of childhood stunting (34.3 percent), anemia (16.9 percent), and household food insecurity (48.2 percent), which contribute to low functional literacy at 64.7 percent.
Nearly half of Key Stage 1 learners in BARMM were classified as 'low emerging' readers, while pandemic-related learning loss has left many students lagging three to four years behind expected grade levels, based on data cited during the presentation.
To address these concerns, the commission recommended expanding early childhood care and development programs, strengthening teacher education, and improving inter-agency coordination-areas expected to be taken up by the newly created TWG.
Bangsamoro education officials welcomed the findings, with MBHTE Minister Mohagher Iqbal saying the ministry would recalibrate its programs and performance targets to align with the report's priorities.
"We acknowledge the state of education and the challenges that require immediate and serious reform as presented in the EDCOM 2 report," Iqbal said.
EDCOM 2 co-chairperson Senator Loren Legarda, in a message, said the forum is a "platform for coordination, trust building and shared problem-solving."
"I hope we can work together to identify practical ways forward and most importantly strengthen our linkages to ensure that our collective efforts translate into improved education outcomes for the BARMM," Legarda said.
The report, titled 'Turning Point: A Decade of Necessary Reform (2026-2035),' outlines a long-term roadmap aimed at addressing systemic issues in nutrition, foundational learning, and teacher development in the region.
