Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago has filed a bill seeking to establish a free and universal prekindergarten program for Filipino children. If Senate Bill 2740 will be passed, the Department of Education will develop a "high-quality, full-day, full-calendar-year" universal prekindergarten program for all Filipino children from three to five years old. "High-quality prekindergarten programs help children to succeed academically. Children who attended a high-quality prekindergarten program supposedly have higher academic achievement, lower rates of grade retention, are less likely to be placed in special education, and graduate from high school at higher rates than those who did not," Santiago said in her explanatory note. The proposed prekindergarten program specifies the following:
a maximum class size of 20 children; a ratio of not more than 10 children for each member of the teaching staff; age and developmentally appropriate educational curriculum that will prepare children for kindergarten classes; community support services for students and their families; parental involvement in the prekindergarten program, and continuing early childhood education and development for teachers. Background check on school employees Meanwhile, Santiago also filed SB 2750 which seeks to require the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct background checks on prospective school employees. According to the measure, the hiring administrator must consider the results of the background check before hiring prospective school employees. "This bill will help school officials to effectively identify sexual predators during the employment application process," said Santiago. The bill also mandates the school to report any identified sexual offender. SB 2740 also bars schools from employing any individual as a school bus driver if he or she has been convicted of an offense involving a vehicular accident or any serious traffic offenses. - VVP, GMA News 
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