DepEd launches 10-year plan to overhaul PH basic education

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday formally launched the Quality Basic Education Development Plan (QBEDP) 2025–2035 — a 10-year roadmap that aims to overhaul the Philippine education system.

The DepEd said this would be done by investing in three engines of reform: decentralization, stronger public-private partnerships, and digitalization, all in the name of improving learning outcomes and future opportunities for Filipino learners.

Speaking at the launch, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the comprehensive blueprint was shaped not just by policy experts, but by the lived experiences of teachers, learners, and education leaders on the ground.

“Ito ay isang pang-bansang blueprint, isang pang-matagalang plano,” Angara said. 

(This is a national blueprint, a long-term plan.) 

Angara acknowledged the challenges that have long plagued the education sector — outdated curricula, teacher overload, poor infrastructure, and subpar learning outcomes, among others.

“Ang mismong train system natin ang kailangang ayusin,” he stressed. 

(It’s the very train system itself that we need to fix.)

He then said that the plan identifies five main reform pillars — teachers, learners, governance, learning quality, and employability — with strategic initiatives for each, all underpinned by decentralization and accountability.

Decentralization as a driving force

At the heart of the QBEDP is the principle of decentralization. Angara stressed that control and decision-making must move from central offices in Manila to local school leaders who better understand community needs.

This means empowering school heads, local DepEd divisions, and even teachers to make real-time decisions supported by accessible data. The agency’s Project BUKAS (Building Up Knowledge and Accountability Systems) will release 22 key datasets to the public, including performance metrics for schools, enabling greater transparency.

Public-private partnerships to build classrooms

The QBEDP also leans heavily on public-private partnerships (PPP), which Angara called a “game-changer,” especially as the government aims to build 40,000 new classrooms, provide laptops for all teachers, and improve internet connectivity nationwide.

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“Kaya sabi niya (Pangulong Marcos), lahat ng guro natin magkakaroon ng laptop, makakatayo tayo ng 40,000 classrooms kasi mas malaki ang budget na ibibigay kapag sama-sama ang gobyerno, kasama ang pribadong sektor, kasama ang development partners,” he said. 

(That’s why he said all our teachers will get laptops, and we can build 40,000 classrooms, because a bigger budget becomes possible when government, the private sector, and development partners work together.)

Unlike previous piecemeal approaches, Angara emphasized that today’s partnerships are “mission-driven” and strategically aligned to improve education access and quality.

Boosting learning outcomes and workforce readiness

On learning quality, Angara noted that while the Philippines still struggles in international assessments like Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and National Achievement Test (NAT), the roadmap offers clear pathways for improvement.

“For the first time, klaro na po ang direksyon,” he noted. 

(For the first time, the direction is clear.)

DepEd is rolling out a strengthened K-10 curriculum and piloting a revised senior high school (SHS) curriculum in 900 schools. The ARAL remediation program — first proven effective in Marikina City — will also be expanded nationally, helping more than 90,000 struggling learners catch up.

For future readiness, over 170,000 SHS learners have already received TESDA NC II certifications for free, which was made possible under the embedded TVET qualifications—removing the previous P1,500 cost barrier.

Through new Civil Service Commission rules, SHS and even junior high school graduates are now eligible to apply for first-level government jobs.

Digitalization to drive inclusion

The third major pillar is digitalization. Angara said DepEd is investing in data systems not just for modernity, but for fairness and inclusivity.

The goal, he added, is to ensure every public school is connected to the internet and equipped with tools to respond in real-time to learners’ needs.

Angara concluded by reaffirming that the QBEDP is not a top-down mandate but a collective promise between DepEd, teachers, parents, and learners.

“Ngayong araw, hawak na po natin ang mapa. May isang direksyon na ang ating biyahe,” he said. 

(Today, we hold the map. Our journey now has a single direction.) 

Angara also called on all stakeholders to help lay the tracks forward, assuring teachers and learners that “this time, the train will not pass them by.”

Meanwhile, with the results of the 2026 PISA just around the corner, Angara said the administration is laying the groundwork for long-term improvements:

“Ang kumpiyansa ko ay maumpisahan natin ang proseso ng pagpapaganda ng ating sistema at ang pagpapaganda ng mga resulta sa mga large-scale assessments,” he said. 

(I’m confident we can begin the process of improving our system and improving results in large-scale assessments.) —KG, GMA Integrated News