Almost two weeks after the opening of School Year (SY) 2025–2026 in public schools across the country, the Department of Education (DepEd) assured the public that it is taking concrete steps to address longstanding problems in basic education—even as it delivered a smoother and safer class opening nationwide.

“Education is not just about opening schools,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said. “It’s about making sure that every classroom is equipped, every teacher supported, and every child given a real chance to learn... that means confronting these issues head-on—flooding, congestion, mental health, access—and working with everyone to solve them,” he added. 

As classes resumed on June 16, DepEd vowed to go beyond a successful school opening by accelerating reforms and deepening inter-agency collaboration—committing to an education system that adapts and responds to learners’ needs throughout the year.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and DepEd Secretary Angara led school visits in Bulacan and Quezon City to monitor preparations and highlight the administration’s efforts to improve school facilities, electrification, and learner support.

Through DepEd, the President said the government is ensuring that basic services—such as electricity and water—are in place so students can study properly.

Angara also conducted site visits in Taguig City, Laguna, and Agusan del Norte, including the energization of Datu Saldong Elementary School, a remote campus that previously had no electricity.

“There are only 46 students, but they’ve had issues with absences because the children get distracted. But after electricity was installed on Monday, the kids didn’t want to go home. It just shows that if we can engage our students, we can really do a lot for our people,” Angara said in a mix of English and Filipino.

In Buenavista, Agusan del Norte, Angara led the inauguration of a new ALS-Community Learning Center, reinforcing DepEd’s commitment to making quality education accessible to all—including those pursuing non-traditional learning paths.

With help from local government units (LGUs) and partner agencies, DepEd opened classes across the country in a largely smooth and orderly manner. A key feature of this year’s efforts is CLASS+, a program that gives public school communities direct access to vital health services that were previously out of reach.

Despite notable efforts, DepEd acknowledges the pressing need to tackle persistent education challenges.

In Naic, Cavite, around 1,800 students are still holding classes in makeshift spaces due to overcrowding and limited classroom infrastructure.

In Eastern Visayas and other areas, the scarcity of licensed guidance counselors hampers efforts to address bullying and provide essential mental health support.

Meanwhile, schools in flood-prone zones like Bulacan, Pampanga, and Pangasinan continue to face class disruptions and learning losses during heavy rains.

To reduce classroom congestion and future-proof schools, DepEd is collaborating with private partners to build more than 15,000 new classrooms by 2027. The new designs feature multi-story structures with open ground floors—an architectural solution aimed at mitigating flood-related disruptions.

To address growing mental health concerns, DepEd is strengthening Child Protection Committees and hiring more counselors to support students at both the school and division levels. Angara stressed that safeguarding learners’ mental health is now a non-negotiable priority in shaping education policy.

The expanded School-Based Feeding Program now covers all 1.4 million kindergarten learners—up from just 360,000 last year.

To support the resumption of in-person learning, DepEd confirmed that 884,790 teaching posts had been filled as of June 15.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has also approved 20,000 new teaching positions for 2025, affirming inter-agency efforts to sustain school staffing levels.