Win proposes ‘public school database’
To streamline enrollment
FOLLOWING the opening of early registration in public schools, Senator Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian reiterated his push for the creation of a “National Public School Database” for streamlined enrollment.
Gatchalian made his proposal in the Public School Database Act or Senate Bill (SB) No. 478.
Under the proposed measure, the Department of Education (DepEd) “will develop, operate, and maintain a National Public School Database that contains learner information.”
These will include school grades, personal data, good moral records, and improvement tracking, among others.
The National Public School Database will also include other learner-specific data, such as exam scores, grade levels, attendance, and immunization records for the recording of learners’ biographical data, the handling of admissions and discharges, and transferring to other schools.
School administrators shall have access to these data so they can have timely, relevant, and accurate information to help them perform their tasks more efficiently.
The DepEd is further mandated to formulate a Database Information Program, which will train education professionals on the development of the National Public School Database, as well as the maintenance of the information it contains.
Gatchalian pointed out that physical documents are easily damaged and lost due to fragile storage, flood, fire, and other disasters. By storing learners’ school records in a database, school heads and teachers are assured that these important documents are “preserved and easily accessible.”
The lawmaker further pointed out that a national public school database will facilitate systematic monitoring of learners’ records and progress, which are vital in school assessment, planning, and setting of operational targets.
“Batay sa karanasan natin noong kasagsagan ng pandemiya, nakita natin ang napakahalagang papel ng teknolohiya, hindi lamang para sa pag-aaral at pagtuturo kundi pati na rin sa pamamalakad ng ating mga paaralan. Kaya naman isinusulong natin ang paglikha ng National Public School Database upang gawing mas madali ang proseso ng ating enrollment, at matulungan ang ating mga guro at mga school heads,” said Gatchalian, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.
