The Department of Education (DepEd) will prioritize the construction of new buildings, and classrooms, and provide digital devices to learners and teachers, the agency announced on Tuesday.
In a meeting with the teachers of La Paz, Tarlac, Education Secretary Angara announced that they are currently exploring public-private partnerships (PPPs) to address the perennial problem of classroom backlogs.
“Ang tinutulak natin ngayon is mag-PPP tayo, public-private partnerships. Ibig sabihin, malakihan, bulto-bulto, 1,000 classrooms. Magpapa-bid tayo ng isang libong school buildings at i-o-offer natin sa private sector na magko-construct,” Angara stressed.
Several schools lack classrooms due to the limited resources they have. To address the problem, Angara called for an increased awareness of the Adopt-A-School Program, underscoring the law’s tax benefits to the adopting company or enterprise.
According to Angara, those interested in donating to the program will have a deduction on their taxable income. This includes individuals and other charitable organizations who are interested in donating.
“Marami lang hindi nakakaalam na may batas na ganoon. So with the help of the community, sana maipaalam natin sa kanila,” he said.
The DepEd is currently focused on prioritizing digital technology so that learning opportunities can be enhanced. This also aligns with the coming Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025 tests.
With the upcoming test, Angara encouraged education officials to intensify their preparations through practice tests and to focus on nurturing learners’ critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills.
The meeting held in Tarlac was attended by DepEd Regional Director Ronnie Mallari, PhD, CESO V; La Paz Mayor Venustiano Jordan, and local government officials.
