The Department of Education (DepEd) has enhanced its summer programs to address student learning gaps, but a group has cautioned that these short-term measures fall short of tackling the Philippines' persistent education crisis, which stems from deep-rooted systemic challenges.

In a statement issued on Thursday, April 24, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) expressed “serious concern” over DepEd’s recent call for support of its four summer learning programs aimed at addressing learning gaps among Filipino students.

“While we recognize the intent to mitigate learning losses, these programs represent mere band-aid solutions to the fundamental problems plaguing our education system,” said ACT Chairperson Vladimer Quetua.

“These short-sighted interventions fail to address the root causes of our education crisis, which stem primarily from chronic underfunding and neglect,” he added.

READ:

https://mb.com.ph/2023/5/29/ph-education-in-crisis-1

DepEd rallies support for enhanced summer programs

Earlier this month, DepEd announced the expansion of its summer programs this year to address learning gaps exacerbated by recent disruptions in the education system.

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https://mb.com.ph/2025/4/10/dep-ed-2025-summer-programs

DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara called on stakeholders to support the agency’s summer learning initiatives.

“More than a summer initiative, these programs are part of a bigger movement to rebuild the foundations of learning, one reader at a time,” Angara said in a statement issued on April 21.

He also urged partners and stakeholders to “stand with DepEd” in its mission, emphasizing that “every Filipino child deserves the chance to read, understand, and succeed—and it will take all of us working together to make that happen.”

Set to be implemented next month, DepEd has ramped up four summer learning initiatives: the Bawat Bata Bumabasa Program (BBMP), the Literacy Remediation Program (LRP), the Summer Academic Remedial Program, and the Learning Camp (LC).

READ:

https://mb.com.ph/2025/4/21/dep-ed-to-roll-out-4-summer-programs

Teachers’ group calls for systemic reform

ACT said the learning loss phenomenon will “persist” as long as the education budget remains woefully inadequate.

The group pointed out that the current allocation of merely 3.2 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to education “falls far below” the UNESCO-recommended six percent—resulting in “persistent shortages” of teachers, classrooms, and learning materials that directly affect the quality of education Filipino children receive.

ACT stressed that unless the budget shortfall is addressed, students and teachers in the Philippines will continue to suffer.

“Our teachers are already overburdened with non-teaching tasks, yet they are expected to implement additional programs without corresponding support and compensation,” Quetua said.

The group also criticized the lack of basic facilities and materials in schools, while the government continues to “prioritize enormous budgets” for other sectors.

Recommendation to address the crisis

ACT demanded that the government double the education budget to effectively address the critical shortages of teachers, classrooms, and learning materials.

Additionally, the group called for the removal of non-teaching tasks that burden educators, allowing them to focus on their primary responsibility: teaching.

“We need transformative solutions, not stopgap measures,” Quetua said.

ACT emphasized that if the Marcos administration is truly committed to resolving the learning crisis, it must “significantly increase education funding and implement comprehensive reforms that target the systemic issues plaguing our schools.”

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