Creating the Presidential Task Force to Assess, Plan and Monitor the Entire Educational System

August 21, 2007

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 652

CREATING THE PRESIDENTIAL TASK FORCE TO ASSESS, PLAN AND MONITOR THE ENTIRE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

WHEREAS, the Presidential Commission on Educational Reform, or PCER, was created in 1998 to continue and build on the work of the 1991 Congressional Commission on Education to further strengthen the role of education in accelerating national development and global competitiveness;

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. (EO) 273 (Series of 2000) created a National Coordinating Council for Education (NCCE);

WHEREAS, EO 632 amended EO 273 (Series of 2000) and mandated a Presidential Assistant (PA) for Education in place of the NCCE to assess, plan and monitor the entire educational system;

WHEREAS, pursuant to EO 273 now EO 632, in the discharge of its functions and responsibilities, the NCCE now the Office of the PA for Education may commission highly qualified experts/specialists and/or education consultancy groups to provide specific services;

NOW, THEREFORE I, GLORIA M. ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Creation. — There is hereby created the Presidential Task Force to Assess, Plan and Monitor the Entire Educational System.

SECTION 2. Composition and Organization. — The Task Force shall be composed of the following:

1.) Secretary, Department of Education

2.) Chairman, Commission on Higher Education

3.) Chairman, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority

4.) Presidential Assistant for Education

5.) Five (5) representatives from the private sector to be appointed/designated by the President.

The Chairman of the Task force shall be designated by the President from among the representatives from the private sector, and co-chaired by the Chairman, Commission on Higher Education.

SECTION 3. Powers and Functions. — The Task Force shall exercise the following functions and duties:

1. To design a mechanism in the holding of regular fora for trans-subsectoral consultations on cross-cutting policies and programs;

2. To identify strategies to dovetail the goals and objectives of the education system, especially tertiary education, to national development plans;

3. To review existing and proposed programs from all the three (3) education agencies of government and other government agencies with education programs for tighter inter-subsector coordination;

4. To provide guidelines in setting priorities for the education system, especially tertiary education, and recommend corresponding financial requirements;

5. To design the monitoring scheme for the implementation of reforms proposed by the PCER as updated by the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan of the Arroyo administration, especially on tertiary education;

6. To provide directions in the establishment of the National Educational Evaluation and Testing Systems and Operations, as well as oversee and monitor the implementation thereof;

7. To recommend and provide guidelines for Philippine representatives in international and national conferences/meetings with cross-cutting themes or concerns in education; and

8. To lead in the convening of a biennial National Congress in Education involving the three (3) levels for the purpose of assessing, updating/upgrading and strengthening the entire educational system and its components.

SECTION 4. Inter-Agency Assistance and Coordination. — All other departments, bureaus, offices, agencies and instrumentalities of the government, including government-owned or controlled corporations, are hereby directed to cooperate with the Task Force in the performance of its mandate under this Executive Order.

SECTION 5. Rewards. — The members of the Task Force shall be entitled to rewards, incentives and other entitlements as may be provided under existing laws and pertinent rules and regulations.

SECTION 6. Report. — The Task force shall submit its report and proposal to the President not later than twelve (12) months from the start of its function.

SECTION 7. Funding. — The funds for the Task Force shall be drawn from the budget of the PA for Education as specified in Section 12 of EO 273 (Series of 2000) as amended by EO 632.

SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. — All other orders, issuances, rules and regulations, or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 9. Effectivity. — This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 21st day of August, in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Seven.