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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Investment in education must be a priority — group

Investment in education must be a priority — group

Published Dec 17, 2024 02:53 pm

An advocacy group on Tuesday, Dec. 17, emphasized the importance of investing in education following the ratification of the 2025 national budget by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

JOJO RINOZA FILE PHOTO MANILA BULLETIN.jpg
JOJO RINOZA  / FILE PHOTO  / MANILA BULLETIN

“The strength of a nation lies in the well-being of its people. Therefore, we must invest in and prioritize the education, health, and nutrition of every Filipino,” the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) said in a statement.

PBEd also commended President Marcos’ commitment to addressing the challenges in the country’s education sector.

“With his recent pronouncement on restoring the education sector’s budget, we remain hopeful that his leadership will inspire the necessary prioritization of education within the government,” PBEd added.

Critical foundation

PBEd noted that while infrastructure — like roads and bridges — is vital for progress, “investing in our people is still the most critical foundation we can build.”

The group highlighted that the bicameral-approved budget will provide the Department of Education (DepEd) and its attached agencies with a nominal increase of P19.42 billion compared to the 2024 budget.

“However, a closer look reveals that this increase translates to only approximately P1,600 spent per student,” PBEd explained.

For years, the group observed that the Philippines has “consistently spent below the global standard for education,” allocating just 3.6 percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) since 2022 — far below UNESCO's recommendation of 4 to 6 percent.

“We still have a long way to go in ramping up our efforts and ensuring that our students and teachers are provided with the essential resources needed to succeed,” PBEd emphasized.

Given this, PBEd reiterated that investment in education must remain a top priority.

“With the President's directive to improve our human capital, we look forward to a whole-of-nation approach where all sectors — from government to private institutions, civil society, and local communities — collectively prioritize and invest in our country’s education system,” the group stated.

Meanwhile, PBEd reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the government and collaborating with all stakeholders to “achieve real and lasting progress in improving learning outcomes and elevating the overall quality of our education system.” 

Related Tags

Philippine education DEPED PBEd philippine business for education President Marcos
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