EDUCATION Secretary Sonny Angara said the 10-year Quality Basic Education Development Plan (QBEDP) that was launched yesterday would focus on decentralization, digitalization and Public-Private Partnership to boost the quality of basic education and address the challenges facing the sector.
The launching of the QBEDP came a day after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his 4th State of the Nation Address, renewed his administration’s call to improve the education sector.
“The QBEDP is not just a document. It is a promise. Isang pangako na sa byaheng ito walang maiiwan. Lahat ay makakasakay (It is a promise that no one will be left behind. That everyone will be able to get aboard),” Angara said during the event attended by technical officials and partners involved in education policy, planning and implementation.
“Ito ang pangunahing polisiya natin hanggang matapos ang administrasyon. Puspusan nating inaayos at pinapaganda ang sistema ng edukasyon. Sa lahat ng mga pinapahalagahan ng administrasyon, ito pa rin ang nasa rurok (This will be our main policy until the end of this administration. We will vigorously work to improve our education system. Of all the issues that the administration cared about, education is on the top),” he added.
The QBEDP, according to Angara, serves as the implementation strategy for the 5-Point Reform Agenda launched in 2024 and extends the vision of the Basic Education Development Plan adopted in 2022.
“The plan takes a bold, long-term approach to improving learning outcomes across the country, focusing on three key levers, namely, decentralization, digitalization, and public-private partnership,” the DepEd’ Strategic Management Strand said.
Earlier, Angara said the QBEDP reflects the department’s continuing efforts to address persistent education challenges, including learning recovery and system-level reform.
Angara had touted the progress in the basic education sector, including reducing the textbook procurement timeline and providing greater support to teachers and learners, as he marked his first year as DepEd chief.
But there are persistent problems that span several administrations now and up to now waiting to be resolved, including classroom shortages.
Angara said the classroom shortage in public schools stood at 165,000 and may take several decades to resolve if the current pace of construction is not addressed.
Angara said the QBEDP introduces “basecamps” in 2028, 2031 and 2034 to guide the DepEd through phases of “catching up, innovating and meeting global benchmarks.”
“These timelines are designed to align with the country’s narrowing demographic window of opportunity, during which strategic investments in human capital are expected to yield the highest returns,” he added.
Angara further said the plan is a “living” strategy designed to adapt to emerging needs and future shifts, including technological adjustments, climate change, and evolving labor demands.
In his SONA, the President highlighted several urgent education priorities, including scaling up the program for academic recovery, expansion of early childhood development centers, and connected and healthier learning environments.
With the launching of the QBEDP, Angara said the DepEd will not allow its funding to be clipped, similar to what happened last year when P12 billion was taken from its 2025 budget.
Of the amount, P10 billion would have funded the DepEd’s computerization project.
“Babantayan natin ang budget this year para hindi maulit ang nangyari last year (We will be vigilant in guarding our budget this year so that what happened last year will not happen again),” Angara said.
He added that the success of many of the DepEd programs, including the QBEDP, also hinges on having adequate funding.
