K to 3 Foundational Learning and Nurturing Care Act

- Offter of the deservey TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session 26 FEB 12 P2:21 SENATE RECEIVED BY: S. No. 1853 Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda AN ACT STRENGTHENING K TO 3 FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING AND NURTURING CARE BY ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL K TO 3 PROGRAM WITH AN EARLY LANGUAGE, LITERACY, AND NUMERACY (ELLN) CORE, INTEGRATING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) AND VALUES FORMATION, ALIGNING HEALTH, NUTRITION, AND RESPONSIVE CAREGIVING SUPPORTS, PROVIDING PROTECTED INSTRUCTIONAL TIME, BUDGET TAGGING AND PROGRESSIVE PRIORITIZATION, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. EXPLANATORY NOTE The Philippines faces a persistent crisis in foundational learning. EDCOM II findings reveal a stark reality: nearly half of learners are unable to read at grade level by the end of Grade 3'. Literacy is the critical gateway to numeracy and all other subjects; when students fall behind in the early years, they face mounting difficulties in grasping more complex curricula in higher grades. This challenge is further underscored by global studies. Research by UNICEF and the World Bank? shows that an alarming 91% of Filipino children at late primary age cannot read and understand even a simple story. This highlights not only the scale of the learning crisis but also the urgent need for systemic interventions to secure foundational skills in the earliest years of schooling. ' The Second Educational Congressional Commission on Education (2026). Student proficiency rates plunge from 30% in Grade 3 to 0.47% in Grade /2. Second Educational Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II). https://edcom2.gov.phistudent-proficiency-rates-plunge-from-30-in-grade-3-to-0-47-in-grade-12/ * World Bank (2022). Philippines Learning Poverty Brief. World Bank https://documents/.worildbank.org/curated/en/099000207152223103/pdf(IDU002b5536c0db4104ec3087dS0990 Gcc?caç56 pdf

While the country has made strides in Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD), particularly through the enactment of Republic Act No. 12199, otherwise known as the "Early Childhood Care and Development System Act", which highlights the importance of integrated health, nutrition, early education, and special protection from birth to age four', a critical gap remains. This "missing middle" lies between ECCD (ages 0-4) and the formal K-12 education system, most evident in Kindergarten to Grade 3. These formative years are the critical bridge where children must secure foundational learning. Foundational learning includes basic literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional skills that serve as the bedrock for all future learning*. Alongside academic competencies, values formation and emotional growth must also be nurtured to ensure holistic development. Without deliberate and targeted interventions in this stage, the progress achieved in ECCD risks being eroded. Children who fail to acquire foundational learning early struggle to keep pace with increasingly complex curricula, perpetuating the broader learning crisis and limiting their potential to thrive as engaged, productive citizens. Thus, the need for a foundational learning strategy becomes urgent. A balanced, prevention-first approach ensures that children acquire strong foundations early, reducing the need for costly remediation later. This strategy combines preventive measures with holistic development to ensure that children build strong foundations in their earliest years of schooling. On the preventive side, it emphasizes high-quality instruction in Kindergarten to Grade 3 that is language-rich, numeracy-rich, and fully integrated with socio-emotional learning (SEL) and values formation. Socio-emotional learning is the process of acquiring knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential competencies that enable individuals to recognize and manage emotions, show empathy and care for others, build positive relationships, make responsible decisions, and navigate challenging situations responsibly. ' Section 2, Republic Act No. 12199 otherwise known as the *Early Childhood Care and Development System Act". https://legacy.scnate.gos.ph.nepublic_asts/ra%2012199.pdf * World Bak Group (2025).Foundational Learning https://www.worldbank.org.en topic/education/brief/foundational-learningt:-itext=What%20is%20foundational 120learning?.constrains% 20k unitics%20for%20further% 20lcarning › United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (2024). Mainstreaming social and emotional learning in education systems: policy guide. UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesce.org/ark:/48223/p/f0000392261

By embedding foundational learning at the heart of early primary education, the Philippines can bridge the "missing middle," safeguard ECCD gains, and set learners on a trajectory toward lifelong success. This is not merely another "reading and testing" bill. To construe it narrowly risks disregarding the broader constitutional and statutory obligations of the State to provide quality education. Foundational learning encompasses not only literacy and numeracy but also socio-emotional learning (SEL) and values formation, consistent with the State's duty to foster civic responsibility and moral character, as well as the health, nutrition, attendance, and caregiving conditions that materially affect a child's capacity to learn. In view of the foregoing, the passage of this measure is earnestly sought. LOREN LEGARDA

Allite of the Ev TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) First Regular Session ) SENATE RECEIVED BY S. No. 1853 Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda AN ACT STRENGTHENING K TO 3 FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING AND NURTURING CARE BY ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL K TO 3 PROGRAM WITH AN EARLY LANGUAGE, LITERACY, AND NUMERACY (ELLN) CORE, INTEGRATING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND VALUES FORMATION, ALIGNING HEALTH, NUTRITION, AND RESPONSIVE CAREGIVING SUPPORTS, PROVIDING PROTECTED INSTRUCTIONAL TIME, BUDGET TAGGING AND PROGRESSIVE PRIORITIZATION, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in the Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "K to 3 Foundational

2 Learning and Nurturing Care Act."

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to give priority to

4 education and promote total human development. In pursuit of this mandate, the 5 State has to ensure that all children from Kindergarten to Grade 3 develop strong 6 foundations in early language, literacy, numeracy, social and emotional learning 7 (SEL), and values, consistent with developmental science and the country's goals for 8 equity and lifelong learning. The State recognizes that foundational learning is profoundly influenced by 10 children's health, nutrition, attendance, responsive caregiving, safety, and wellbeing, 11 and shall and therefore promote whole-child, whole-of-government,

1 whole-of-community approaches aligned with the Early Childhood Care and 2 Development (ECCD) System Act (RA 12199). The State shall provide clear standards, protected instructional time, 4 appropriate teacher support, coherent program governance, transparency in 5 resource allocation, and strong collaboration among national agencies, LGUs, 6 families, and schools.

Sec. 3. Objectives. - This Act aims to:

(a) Establish a National K to 3 Foundational Learning and Nurturing Care Program ("National K to 3 Program"); (b) Guarantee strong instruction in early language, literacy, and numeracy (ELLN) as the program core; (c) Ensure the integration of SEL and values formation into curriculum, teaching practice, and school climate; (d) Strengthen linkages among health, nutrition, responsive caregiving, child protection, and early learning; (e) Support and professionalize K-3 teachers, including pathways for specialization; (f) Secure protected instructional time for foundational learning; (g) Establish a national K to 3 Foundational Learning and Nurturing Care Dashboard; (h) Ensure budget tagging and progressive prioritization for K-3 across the education system; (i) Promote alignment and coherence from 0-4 (ECCD) to K-3.

Sec. 4. Definition of Terms. - For the purposes of this Act:

(a) Early Intervention - timely identification and support for learners who exhibit delays in foundational competencies; (b) Early Language, Literacy, and Numeracy (ELLN) - competencies in oral language, vocabulary, decoding, fluency, comprehension, writing, and early mathematics expected in Kindergarten to Grade 3. ELLN constitutes the core instructional component of the National K to 3 Program.; (c) Foundational Learning - competencies in early language, literacy, numeracy, SEL, and values needed for future academic performance and holistic development; (d) National K to 3 Program - the unified program established under this Act, formally known as the National K to 3 Foundational Learning and Nurturing Care Program, encompassing standards, instructional time, teacher development, materials, assessments, interventions, and whole-child supports for K-3; (e) Nurturing Care - the enabling environment for child development, including health, nutrition, responsive caregiving, early learning, safety, and security, consistent with RA 12199; (f) Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) - skills in attention, emotion regulation, cooperation, empathy, perseverance, and responsible decision-making that support learning and wellbeing; (g) Values Formation - competencies and behaviors related to respect, responsibility, cooperation, fairness, empathy, and bayanihan, embedded in daily routines and school culture;

Sec. 5. Establishment of the National K to 3 Program. - There is hereby

26 established a National K to 3 Foundational Learning and Nurturing Care Program, 27 which shall:

(a) Provide a strong ELLN instructional core, including oral language, decoding, comprehension, writing, and early numeracy; (b) Integrate SEL and values formation across curriculum, pedagogy, routines, and school climate; (c) Ensure nurturing care linkages for health, nutrition, attendance, responsive caregiving, and child protection; (d) Institute protected instructional time for foundational learning; (e) Provide localized, culturally relevant, accessible (including offline) learning materials; (f) Implement early identification and intervention; (g) Strengthen teacher preparation, assignment, coaching, and mentoring, especially for early grades; and (h) Promote partnerships with LGUs, parents, and communities.

Sec. 6. Standards and Curriculum Alignment. - DepEd shall:

(a) Issue standards for ELLN, SEL, and values formation in K-3; (b) Align curriculum, teaching guides, assessments, and materials with these standards; (c) Ensure protected instructional time for foundational learning; and (d) Align the K-3 Program with RA 12199 and the ECCD Council's 0-4 developmental framework to ensure continuity.

Sec. 7. Teacher Specialization and Professional Development. - DepEd,

22 CHED, and PRC shall: (a) Develop specialization pathways for early learning / early-grade teachers;

(b) Strengthen in-service professional development, coaching, and mentoring for current K-3 teachers; (c) Facilitate merit-based assignment of teachers to early grades based on competencies; and (d) Provide training in ELLN, SEL, values formation, early numeracy, and early intervention. All current K-3 teachers shall be deemed qualified during the transition 8 period.

Sec. 8. Integration of Nurturing Care Supports. - DepEd shall coordinate with

10 DOH, DSWD, ECCD Council, DILG, and LGUs to ensure: (a) School-based health and nutrition services, including coordination with School-Based Feeding Program; (b) Attendance monitoring, follow-up, and support for chronically absent learners; (c) Parenting and responsive caregiving sessions aligned with school learning goals; (d) Screening, referral, and early intervention for health, nutrition, disability, and developmental concerns; and (e) SEL and values-enabling environments, including positive discipline and child protection measures.

Sec. 9. K to 3 Foundational Learning and Nurturing Care Dashboard. - DepEd

22 shall establish a national K to 3 Dashboard with indicators on: (a) Language, literacy, and numeracy proficiency; (b) SEL and values-related observable practices or proxies; (c) Attendance and chronic absenteeism;

(d) Nutrition and health indicators where available; (e) School climate and child protection indicators; and (f) Implementation of early intervention. The dashboard shall guide planning, budgeting, coaching, and reporting at 5 national, regional, schools division, and school levels.

Sec. 10. Financing, Budget Tagging, and Progressive Prioritization. - DepEd

7 and DBM shall identify and tag budget lines supporting the National K to 3 Program. & Within three fiscal years, tagged allocations shall be no less than ten percent (10%) 9 of the DepEd basic education budget. DepEd shall develop a medium-term plan to 1e progressively increase K-3 investment, consistent with enrollment share, learning 11 needs, and evidence on returns to investment. LGUs and Local School Boards shall allocate a meaningful share of the SEF to 13 support K-3 literacy, numeracy, SEL, values, health, nutrition, and early intervention 14 needs. Nothing in this Act shall prevent higher allocations for K-3 where feasible.

Sec. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - DepEd, with DOH, DSWD,

17 ECCD Council, CHED, PRC, DBM, and DILG, shall promulgate the IRR within one 18 hundred twenty (120) days after the effectivity of this Act.

Sec. 12. Transitory Provisions. - All existing programs related to early-grade

20 learning, health, nutrition, responsive caregiving, and SEL shall be aligned with this 21 Act through the IRR. All current K-3 teachers remain in their posts and shall receive transition 23 support to meet specialization standards over time. Budget tagging, teacher pathways, and dashboard rollout shall be phased 25 considering system readiness.

No existing services shall be disrupted during transition; improvements shall 2 be gradual, supportive, and consultative.

Sec. 13. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid

4 or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected 5 shall remain valid and subsisting.

Sec. 14. Repealing Clause. - Any law, decree, executive order or parts

7 thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or 8 modified accordingly.

Sec. 15. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after

1e its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general 11 circulation. Approved,