Marcos orders education overhaul to fix learning crisis

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. acknowledged the country’s growing education crisis during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 28, vowing to improve the education system.

Marcos expressed concern over the increasing learning gaps among students, especially in several aspects.

“Malinaw sa atin ang tumambad na reyalidad tungkol sa ating mga kabataan ngayon: ang kakulangan sa kakayahan lalo na sa matematika, agham, sa pagbabasa, at sa wastong pag-unawa,” he said.

The president then committed to addressing these issues through a coordinated, long-term reform agenda.

ARAL Program expansion to tackle learning losses

Central to this response is the expansion of the current Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program, designed to aid in learning losses.

This program provides tutoring and remedial instruction for learners struggling with foundational subjects, such as reading, mathematics, and science.

In order to support the program’s implementation, Marcos has directed the Department of Education, the Department of Labor and Employment, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development to collaborate in engaging volunteers and college interns with the said program.

Marcos also emphasized intensifying efforts to strengthen the Early Childhood Care and Development.

Recognizing decades-long gaps in education access, the president announced a 1 billion peso fund to build more than 300 Child Development Centers and Bulilit Centers, especially in underserved areas.

He highlighted that investing in early learning is key to developing the students’ lifelong skills and readiness.

Gov’t to focus on students’ health

Marcos also underscored the mental health needs of the students, noting rising reports of bullying, anxiety, and depression within school communities.

To address this, the government is set to hire additional school counselors to provide professional guidance and psychological support to students effectively and efficiently.

“Maraming mag-aaral ang nakararanas ng bullying o kaya ay nadedepress, binabantayan din natin ang mental health ng ating kabataan,” Marcos stated.

Under the newly launched Yakap Caravan, students and teachers now also have access to free medical check-ups, cancer screening, and needed medicines to ensure overall well-being.

To further promote health and improve learning, the government also aims to provide free meals to 3.5 million students in public schools, supported by the 1 billion peso feeding fund.

Push for digital learning, teaching reforms

The president also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fully digitalizing public education to further enhance the country’s academic performance.

He confirmed that every public school teacher will receive a laptop, and assured the public of its clean and transparent procurement process.

“Ngayo’y nagdaratingan na ang mga laptop na laan para sa bawat guro sa public school. Tiniyak natin na walang anomalya sa pagbili ng mga laptops na ito,” the president said.

Schools are also being equipped with smart televisions, SIM cards with free load, and Wi-Fi connections to support both face-to-face and online learning.

“Nakahanda na ang mga high-tech at digital na mga materyales, mga smart TVs, libreng Wi-Fi, at libreng load sa Bayanihan SIM card,” Marcos added.

The administration aims to connect all schools across the country to free internet access by the end of 2025.

Marcos also announced the creation of 600,000 new teaching positions to fill vacancies and ease class size in an attempt to improve teaching conditions.

“Asahan po ninyo na hindi gagawing sukatan ng galing o ng performance ninyo ang dami lamang ng estudyanteng inyong pinapasa. Kundi, ang dami ng mag-aaral na inyong pinapahusay at pinapataas ang ambisyon sa buhay,” he emphasized.

He also ordered the removal of over 100 non-teaching documents, allowing teachers to focus more on teaching than paperwork.

Teachers will now also receive compensation for overtime and overload in recognition of their expanded roles.

“At ngayong school year na ito, makakatanggap na kayo ng kabayaran para sa inyong teaching overload at para sa inyong overtime,” the president noted.

Marcos vows stronger support for free college, tech-voc

Marcos also vowed to increase access to higher education, especially for leaders from Listahanan and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries.

“Sa mga kasama naman sa Listahanan at 4Ps: itong susunod na tatlong taon, bibigyan natin ng mataas na prayoridad ang mga anak ninyong tutungtong sa kolehiyo,” he emphasized.

The president then reported that over 2 million students are already benefiting from tuition-free college, with more added this year.

“Dalawag milyong estudyante ang nag-aaral nang libre – mula umppisa ng administrasyong ito, dinagdagan ng 260,000 estudyante ang nakikinabang dito,” Marcos said.

He also stated that the government has allocated a 600 billion peso fund for enhancing public colleges and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) tech-vocational programs.

In addition to free college, Marcos highlighted that students can now pursue TESDA-aligned courses embedded in the Senior High School curriculum.

This pathway allows graduates to enter the workforce immediately, should they opt not to pursue higher education.

On infrastructure, the president reported that 22,000 classrooms have already been built since he took office in 2022.

Now, he sets a new target to build 40,000 more classrooms before the end of his term.

“Ito ang pangunahing polosiya natin hanggang sa matapos ang ating administrayon,” Marcos stated.