MANILA, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III has enacted a law requiring Filipino children to take up a kindergarten course before entering Grade 1 to lessen early dropout, Malacanang Palace said on Sunday.

Aquino signed Republic Act No. 10157, otherwise known as the Kindergarten Education Law, on January 20 and its enactment will formally be announced in a ceremony to be held in Malacanang on Monday.

The law provides for a free and compulsory kindergarten education beginning school year 2012-2013 and underscores the importance of kindergarten education "to the academic and technical development of the Filipino child for it is the period when the young mind's absorptive capacity for learning is at its sharpest."

Under the law, children aged five will be required to take up a year in kindergarten in preparation for entry to Grade 1.

With the passage of the law, the Department of Education said a child's performance will be improved in grade school and this will also stem the incidences of early dropout.