THE Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday presented at the National Management Committee a five-point agenda to address protracted and emerging issues in basic education.
Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara spearheaded the creation of the strategic plan of the Department as instructed by President Marcos Jr.
The agenda focuses on four key priorities: creating an enabling learning environment, improving teacher welfare, efficient learning delivery in all forms, and a future-ready workforce.
These priorities are aligned with the commitments President Marcos made in his recent State of the Nation Address, where he stressed the need for an education system that not only fosters literacy, but also nurtures critical thinking and problem-solving skills among the youth.
According to the DepEd, learning losses have been reflected in poor test performance in the recent Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and other academic metrics. One key statistic that stood out showed that nine out of 10 children cannot read or understand simple text.
The DepEd also underscored the importance of looking after teachers, bridging classroom shortages, untangling procurement errors, 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.
DepEd emphasized that the Five-Point Agenda will be vital in unlocking some of the agency’s long-planned initiatives which includes decentralization of funds and resources, revival of the public-private partnerships for infrastructure, and acceleration of digital adoption.
