Members of both Houses of Congress on Wednesday, Feb. 12, welcomed President Marcos and the Department of Education (DepEd)'s move to add 15,000 new plantilla positions to ensure that all schools across the country--regardless of size--have their own principals.

The dearth of school leaders as well as persistent infrastructure problems--like the lack of electricity in remote areas--have been “longstanding obstacles to providing quality education", according to Senator Win Gatchalian, co-chairman of the Second Congressional Committee on Education (EDCOM 2).

“Addressing these concerns is a significant step forward to ensure that every public school in our country is a conducive space for learning,” he added.

Pasig lone district Rep. Roman Romulo, the other co-chair of EDCOM 2, said that the swift action taken by the President and DepEd “reflects their unwavering commitment to prioritizing education and uplifting the lives of our learners, especially those in the most marginalized communities".

“Education is the foundation of our nation’s progress, and addressing these gaps is crucial to building a brighter future for all Filipinos,” he said.

EDCOM 2, in its Year Two Report titled “Fixing the Foundations”, stressed the urgent need to fill the significant number of vacant principal positions across the country, with almost 25,000 public schools not having principals.

DepEd then announced that it is taking immediate steps to address this concern, deploying over 15,000 principals within the year.

Among the interventions include appointing the 7,916 NQESH (National Qualifying Exam for School Heads) passers, instructing principals detailed to offices to return to their assigned schools, and reassigning surplus principal positions to schools in need.

DepEd also recently signed a partnership with the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to address the electrification of last mile schools.