The Department of Education (DepEd) laid out its 5-Point Agenda to address protracted and emerging issues in basic education before the National Management Committee.
As instructed by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., Education Secretary Sonny Angara led the creation of the strategic plan of the Department, which ensures:
– an enabling learning environment;
– the welfare of teachers;
– the well-being of learners;
– efficient learning delivery in all its forms; and
– a future-ready workforce.
The reform agenda is anchored on the President’s commitments during this year’s State of the Nation Address.
The President emphasized that “our system of education must be strategically calibrated to make sure that our youth are not only taught to become literate; but it must also consciously develop them into problem-solvers, and into critical thinkers – hungry for success and ready for the future.”
According to the Department, learning losses have reflected in poor test performance in the recent Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and other academic metrics. One key statistic that stood out was that 9 out of 10 children cannot read or understand simple text.
DepEd also underscored the importance of looking after teachers, bridging classroom shortages, untangling procurement mishaps, as well as reviewing policies and responses during times of calamities and emergencies. The Secretary has marked these priorities as urgent with immediate next steps being done until the end of 2024.
Moving forward, the Department emphasized that the 5-Point Agenda will be vital in unlocking some of the agency’s long-planned initiatives like decentralization of funds and resources; revival of the Public-Private Partnerships for infrastructure; and acceleration of digital adoption.
