DepEd is set to address part of the 165,000-classroom shortage following Secretary Sonny Angara’s signing of a USD 1 million Technical Assistance Agreement with the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center on Friday.
The agreement will facilitate the construction of 15,000 classrooms in 2025 under Phase III of the PPP for School Infrastructure Program (PSIP III).
Photo courtesy: DepEd Philippines (FB)
This grant from the PPP Center’s Project Development and Monitoring Facility is designed to enhance the planning and execution of PSIP III, promoting a more efficient solution to the nation’s classroom deficit.
“There is a saying by the poet that a man’s reach should exceed his grasp. And 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,” Sec. Angara highlighted.
Ensuring safe and conducive learning environments is a cornerstone of DepEd’s 5-Point Reform Agenda. To address these challenges, the agency is revitalizing its PPP initiatives for school infrastructure while also exploring innovative PPP models for projects such as bundled campus development, school libraries, and other essential facilities. Public-Private Partnerships play a vital role in the reform agenda, which also emphasizes decentralization and digitization in basic education.
“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,” Angara said.
Photo courtesy: Sonny Angara (FB)
Beginning in 2025, DepEd intends to launch a new series of PPP projects aimed at designing, financing, and constructing 15,000 classrooms in around 1,600 schools across nine regions, benefiting over 600,000 learners nationwide.
After this initial wave, DepEd plans to roll out subsequent phases, targeting up to 90,000 additional classrooms to address the country’s classroom shortage further.
The Education Secretary also extended gratitude to NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan for advocating this partnership and highlighted NEDA’s continued plans to support the education sector in the future.