Outlining strategies to address longstanding and emerging challenges in basic education, the Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday, Nov. 19, announced that it had presented a 5-Point Agenda to the National Management Committee.
DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara, following the instructions of President Marcos, led the creation of the department's strategic plan.
5-point agenda anchored on SONA
DepEd explained that the 5-point agenda aims to ensure the provision of an enabling learning environment, focus on the welfare of teachers, provide efficient learning delivery in all its forms, and produce a future-ready workforce.
The reform agenda, DepEd noted, is anchored in President Marcos' commitments during this year's State of the Nation Address (SONA), where he emphasized that “our system of education must be strategically calibrated to ensure that our youth are not only taught to become literate, but also consciously developed into problem-solvers and critical thinkers—hungry for success and ready for the future.”
Moving forward, DepEd emphasized that the 5-Point Agenda will be crucial in unlocking some of the agency’s long-planned initiatives, such as the decentralization of funds and resources, the revival of Public-Private Partnerships for infrastructure, and the acceleration of digital adoption.
Addressing gaps in basic education
Among the top priorities of DepEd under Angara’s leadership is addressing learning losses by creating an environment conducive to learning.
DepEd noted that learning losses have been reflected in poor test performance in the recent Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and other academic metrics. One key statistic that stood out was that 9 out of 10 children cannot read or understand simple text.
Aside from providing an enabling learning environment, DepEd also underscored the importance of supporting teachers, bridging classroom shortages, addressing procurement issues, and reviewing policies and responses during times of calamities and emergencies.
DepEd said Angara has marked these priorities as urgent, with immediate next steps being implemented until the end of 2024.