The Department of Education (DepEd) announced on Wednesday, Jan. 8, its plan to address the country’s 165,000-classroom backlog through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), starting with a goal of building 15,000 classrooms by 2027.
In a statement, DepEd said Education Secretary Sonny Angara presented the plan to President Marcos during a recent meeting at Malacañang.
This follows the signing of the Technical Assistance Agreement with the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center in December 2024.
DepEd explained that the initiative, under the PPP School Infrastructure Project (PSIP 3), is projected to cost between P37.5 billion and P60 billion and will benefit over 600,000 students nationwide.
Additionally, it is expected to create at least 18,000 jobs.
Massive challenge
“The classroom gap is a massive challenge, but we believe that leveraging private investments through PPPs is the most efficient and sustainable way to address this,” Angara said.
DepEd has also outlined a roadmap to expand classroom construction to 30,000 and 60,000 through the PPP School Infrastructure Projects (PSIP 4 and 5).
Improving learning outcomes
In addition to addressing infrastructure needs, DepEd is leading initiatives to equip public schools with electricity and digital tools through PPPs, aiming to enhance learning outcomes.
Set to launch by mid-2026, the plan for the digitalization and solarization of schools includes providing electricity to off-grid schools, Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite internet connectivity for those without access, tablets for students, and laptops for teachers.
DepEd said this scale of connectivity is expected to significantly enhance the effectiveness of teachers while providing Filipino students with a wealth of learning resources that were previously inaccessible.
“With a combination of strategic partnerships and digital investments, DepEd is committed to bridging both the classroom and digital divides to create a future-ready education system that produces competitive and highly employable graduates,” Angara said.