President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday committed to continue improving the quality of education by building on the progress already made by his administration.
During the ceremonial submission of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) Final Report in Malacañan Palace, President Marcos cited some of his administration’s initiatives on education reform.
President Marcos said from the start, his administration has worked consistently with EDCOM II to coordinate and align the government’s reforms with their recommendations.
“With these initiatives, we will continue building on the progress that we have made and strengthening our efforts so that all Filipino learners receive the quality education that they deserve and that they rightly expect,” said the President, who also officially launched the National Education and Workforce Development Plan (NatPlan) 2026–2035 introduced by the EDCOM II as a roadmap for education reforms.
“Throughout these past years, we have focused much on our efforts on addressing learning gaps and the damage caused by the pandemic to our children’s education and the continuing cost that we are paying because of climate change,” the President said.
President Marcos cited the revision of the basic education curriculum to be learner-centered, skill-focused, and decongested.
To ensure that teachers are focused on implementing the new curriculum, the government has filled teaching and non-teaching positions and pursued the expanded career progression system.
The government also energized more schools and provided computers and internet connectivity.
President Marcos highlighted that this year’s national budget has the largest allocation for the education sector, amounting to PhP1.345 trillion, equivalent to 4.36 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. The country exceeded the global benchmark for education spending for the first time in its history.
Through this budget, President Marcos said the government can hire more public school teachers to reduce their overall workload; implement learning recovery in reading, math and science; expand school-based feeding programs; and construct more classrooms.
President Marcos said the government is also strengthening the YAKAP Caravans of the Department of Education (DepEd) and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to provide primary healthcare for learners and school personnel.
Furthermore, the government is allotting more than PhP182 million in the 2026 budget for scholarships in master’s degrees for Guidance Counseling, Psychology, and other specializations. The government likewise expanded access to Technical-Vocational Education and Training through scholarships.
“Asahan ninyo na ipagpapatuloy natin ang nasimulan at pagagandahin pa ang sistemang pang-edukasyon,” the President said. | PND
