DepEd and PPP address classroom construction and amendments in 2025
Erin Devanadera
The Department of Education (DepEd) and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) will initiate organized planning of construction and infrastructure for the ongoing classroom shortage in the Philippines on December 20, 2024.
DepEd, represented by Education Secretary Sonny Angara, signed a 1 million USD technical assistance agreement with the PPP on December 20, 2024. This agreement seeks to assist and cover the country’s educational reforms under the PPP’s “School Infrastructure Program Phase III” (PSIP III).
The Technical Assistance Agreement involves constructing 15,000 classrooms in 1,600 schools situated in nine regions, intended to help 600,000 learners across the country.
DepEd has also considered using the Project Development and Monitoring Facility, as granted by the PPP, to streamline the 165,000 classroom shortage, affecting the quality of Philippine education nationwide.
“PPPs are a critical component of the reform agenda in basic education, which includes decentralization and digitization,” said Angara, noting DepEd’s objective to share distribution of educational decision-making and technological inclusivity.
“I think DepEd is definitely exceeding its grasp, in this case, with the help of the PPP Center and the NEDA, because how can we ask our learners to exceed their reach if we ourselves do not try to exceed our potentials?” he added.
During the press conference with the PPP in Pasig City, Angara also highlighted how the initiative would align with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s advocacy.
“He [President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.] would appreciate this partnership today because it’s in line with his directives, as this will not only improve the quality of education but also improve the learning environment,” noted Angara regarding the president’s probable stance.
DepEd, alongside PPP, also plans to explore more cumulative resources for educational enhancement and sustainable environments. This includes solar panel systems, school libraries, and the 90,000 additional classrooms following the initiated plan.
The Department of Education is an educational institution in the Philippines. It oversees the formulation, development, and investment of learning and its progression in the country. It was founded by the Superior Commission of Primary Instruction in 1863 during the end of Spanish Colonization, which sought to standardize education, although heavily religious and Spanish.