MANILA — Senator Bam Aquino has filed a measure seeking to strengthen and rationalize Schools Division Offices (SDOs) to improve governance and bring support closer to schools nationwide.

The proposal, aligned with recommendations from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), seeks to amend Republic Act No. 9155 or the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001, updating its decentralization framework more than two decades after its enactment.

In his explanatory note, Aquino said that while the law aimed to decentralize decision-making, the current system has struggled to keep up with growing demands within the Department of Education (DepEd).

He noted that many SDOs now face uneven workloads, making it difficult to effectively supervise schools, support teachers, and implement programs, which in turn affects the delivery of timely and responsive services.

Findings from EDCOM 2’s final report highlighted governance challenges, including cases where some school divisions oversee more than 1,300 schools, stretching administrative capacity.

According to the commission, these constraints have contributed to persistent service delivery gaps, particularly in geographically complex and rapidly growing areas.

To address these issues, Senate Bill No. 2089 authorizes the Education Secretary, in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), to establish new Schools Division Offices or reorganize existing ones based on factors such as student population, number of schools, geographic conditions, and workload.

The measure also provides that each province and city will have at least one school division, while allowing the DepEd to merge, subdivide, or realign divisions as needed to improve efficiency.

“Strengthening the capacity of School Division Offices is vital to ensuring that policies crafted at the national level are implemented effectively at the local level,” Aquino said.

“Through this, our schools will be better equipped to deliver quality education, quickly respond to the needs of learners, and ensure that no student is left behind,” he added.

Under the bill, SDOs will be provided with adequate staffing and organizational support based on their size and complexity. The DepEd and DBM are also tasked to jointly issue and regularly update standards on staffing, funding requirements, and organizational structures.

The proposed measure is among the priority reforms being pushed by EDCOM 2 as it enters its extension period, focusing on addressing structural gaps in the country’s basic education system.