Marcos approves DepEd–World Bank project to boost learning recovery, local schools

President Ferdinand “Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. and the Economy and Development (ED) Council has approved the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Project for Learning Upgrade Support and Decentralization (PLUS-D) — a major education reform initiative aimed at addressing pandemic-era learning losses and promoting greater school-level decision-making.

The six-year project, supported by the World Bank and the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), will be funded through a P34.79-billion ($600 million) World Bank loan and a P3.47-billion ($60 million) counterpart funding from the Philippine government.

Around 21.2 million K–10 learners nationwide are expected to benefit from the combined nationwide and targeted interventions.

PLUS-D will direct resources and technical support straight to regional offices and schools to accelerate recovery in early-grade learning and enhance instruction in junior high school.

More than 11,000 schools identified as “ready” to implement decentralized reforms are expected to receive targeted grants.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the project is a major policy shift toward empowering schools and local education leaders to make key decisions based on their context.

“Alam nating hindi kailangan na pare-pareho ang solusyon sa paglutas ng learning gap sa bawat silid-aralan (We know that solutions to the learning gap cannot be one-size-fits-all),” Angara said.

“With PLUS-D, schools with the capacity and readiness can move faster, innovate more, and be held accountable for real results for learners. We need to trust those closest to the children.”

The initiative will support system-wide reforms and complement the DepEd’s ongoing Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program.

It will also fund localized interventions such as teacher capacity-building, inclusive education initiatives, and school-level innovations.

Under PLUS-D’s design, schools that show significant improvement in learning outcomes may be eligible for additional funding and public recognition under a performance-based accountability framework.

DepEd also plans to expand the distribution of teacher laptops under the project, aligning with its broader digital transformation goals for basic education.

Implementation will begin in select regions that meet readiness criteria, including sound financial management, school governance systems, and planning capacity.

“This approval sends a clear message that education reform will no longer be centrally controlled and painfully slow,” Angara said. 

“Our mission is to let local leadership thrive, and let Filipino learners recover and rise.”

DepEd said the initiative is aligned with the President’s directive to modernize education governance and ensure that learning recovery efforts reach every child, especially in underserved areas. — JMA, GMA Integrated News