Section 7Sec./Art. 7

Powers and Functions of EDCOM II. The Commission shall have the following powers and functions:

(a)Review, assess, and evaluate the formal and alternative learning systems of education, including continuing systems of education at all levels and the policies on licensure examinations conducted by the Professional Regulation Commission, the employment eligibility by the Civil Service Commission, and the competency assessment and certification by the TESDA;

(b)Recommend the improvement in the harmonization of the policies and programs of the DepEd, CHED, and TESDA;

(c)Formulate short-term and long-term policy and program recommendations that consist of specific, targeted, measurable and time-bound solutions to include, but not limited to, the following:

(1)sectoral plans and targets;

(2)education governance and management;

(3)physical and digital infrastructure;

(4)educational trainings and programs;

(5)financing; and

(6)coordination among departments and sectors concerned with human resource management and development.

(d)Approve the workplan for the conduct of the national review, assessment and harmonization tasks and the budget for the programs of the Commission and all disbursements therefrom, including compensation of all personnel;

(e)Hire and appoint employees and personnel on temporary, contractual, or on consultancy basis;

(f)Hold hearings and receive testimonies, reports and expert advice on the status of Philippine education, exhaust available options to identify problems, and consolidate coherent courses of action as remedies;

(g)Summon by subpoena any public official or private person to testify before it, or require by subpoenaduces tecumthe production of necessary documents, as may be necessary;

(h)Secure from any department, bureau, office or instrumentality of the government such assistance, including technical information, preparation and production of reports, and the submission of recommendations or plans, as may be required;

(i)Conduct multi-stakeholder consultations, using proper mechanisms and guidance;

(j)Collaborate with emerging and innovative industries and services for the sharing of important information relative to their practices on specialized training or apprenticeship programs in line with Republic Act No. 7686,or the "Dual Training System Act of 1994,"and other related laws, to prepare the learners, students and the newly-hired workforce to meet the demands of 21st century skills and the Fourth Industrial Revolution;

(k)Review andactupon the recommendations of the Technical Secretariat or Standing Committees, or both, as it may deem appropriate;

(l)Report to Congress its accomplishments on a periodic basis, its findings and recommendations on actions to be taken by Congress, the departments, and other government agencies concerned with education, and provide a final report at the end of the existence of the Commission. The report shall include a roadmap with clear key performance indicators and results framework to address the learning crisis, with the following guiding principles:

(1)Strategic solutions have to be key drivers of improved learning outcomes;

(2)Inclusive solutions need to address learning inequities;

(3)Resilient solutions are sustainable and adaptable to global trends and future challenges; and

(4)Systemic solutions should address issues that are systemic in nature.

(m)Recommend additional legislation to further the objectives of thisAct;

(n)Formulate the necessary rules and guidelines for the effective implementation of thisAct; and

(o)Exercise all other powers necessary to achieve the purposes of thisAct.