Latest news with #DepEd
GMA Network
14 hours ago
- Business
- GMA Network
170K SHS learners get TESDA certification as gov't shoulders NCII fees
Education Secretary Sonny Angara leads the formal launching of the Quality Basic Education Development Plan 2025–2035 on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria. The roadmap aims to overhaul the Philippine education system through decentralization, stronger public-private partnerships, and digitalization. MARK MAKALALAD/Super Radyo dzBB Over 170,000 Senior High School (SHS) students under the Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) track have received free TESDA National Certificate II (NCII) certifications, the Department of Education (DepEd) said Tuesday. At the launch of the Quality Basic Education Development Plan (QBEDP) 2025–2035, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the government's move to cover the certification cost—previously pegged at ?1,500 per student—is a 'major breakthrough' for ensuring work-readiness among K–12 graduates. 'Libre po ito. Dati na kailangan bayaran ng ?1,500 kada estudyante kaya maraming hindi nakakuha ng kanilang certification. Ngayon, sagot na po ng gobyerno,' Angara said. (It's free. This used to cost ?1,500 per student, which stopped many from getting certified. Now, the government shoulders it.) TESDA's NCII certification is recognized by local and international employers and qualifies holders for various skilled jobs in fields such as electronics, hospitality, and construction. 'At sa ilalim ng bagong patakaran ng (under the new regulations of the) Civil Service Commission, SHS or Senior High School graduates are now eligible to apply for 1st level government jobs,' he said. This development aligns with one of the recommendations of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), which emphasized improving the employability of K–12 graduates. DepEd is also embedding Dual TVET (DVET) qualifications into the SHS curriculum, allowing students to gain work experience while studying. This is part of a broader effort to 'blur the line' between schooling and employment, Angara said, and to address concerns over whether the K–12 program has succeeded in preparing students for the job market. The QBEDP 2025–2035 also lays out plans for improving learning outcomes, modernizing classrooms, and enhancing teacher support—recognizing that education is not just a right but an engine for inclusive growth. On Monday, President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. during his State of the Nation Address (SONA 2025) touted major strides in the country's higher education sector, highlighting the expansion of TESDA scholarships, and financial aid for poor families. 'Dumami din ang nabigyan ng scholarship sa TESDA. Nito lamang 2024, higit pa sa dalawandaang libo ang nadagdag na mga scholarships para sa Tech-Voc,' Marcos said. The President emphasized that students from Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) households will be given higher priority in entering college over the next three years. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
16 hours ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Thousands of teachers to be promoted under new career progression plan —DepEd
Thousands of public school teachers are set to receive long-awaited promotions this year under the Department of Education's (DepEd) expanded career progression system. According to Education Secretary Sonny Angara, the move is part of sweeping reforms to recognize the vital role of educators and ease long-standing burdens that have affected their morale and productivity. 'We began by operationalizing the expanded career progression system, and there are thousands who will be promoted this year,' Angara said at the launch of the QBEDP 2025–2035 on Tuesday. The initiative is accompanied by several teacher-focused measures, including the doubling of the teaching supplies allowance, an increase in salary subsidies even for private school teachers, and the creation of 20,000 new teaching positions. To reduce non-teaching workload, DepEd also hired 10,000 administrative officers. 'We provide them relief, we lighten the load, led by our beloved President (Marcos),' Angara said. The career progression system introduces more flexible promotion tracks, allowing teachers to move up in rank based on classroom performance and subject expertise —not just through supervisory roles. During his speech, Angara also lauded Marcos for highlighting teachers' welfare during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, where the President vowed to institutionalize reforms such as compensation for overtime work and teaching overload, alongside nationwide digitalization efforts in education. 'The President emphasized not only our duty to educate but also our duty to care for those who educate,' Angara said. For years, teachers' groups have raised concerns over unpaid overtime and the mounting volume of paperwork that detracts from instructional time. Responding to these concerns, Marcos said his administration had already removed nearly 100 non-teaching requirements previously imposed on teachers, with the remaining documentation soon to be automated. DepEd's new career system and support measures form part of the larger QBEDP 2025–2035, a ten-year roadmap designed to overhaul basic education in the Philippines and ensure that no teacher is overburdened and no learner is left behind. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
17 hours ago
- Business
- GMA Network
Angara vows to guard DepEd budget after P12-billion cut in 2025
With a national education roadmap now in place through the newly launched Quality Basic Education Development Plan (QBEDP) 2025–2035, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said that the Department of Education (DepEd) cannot afford another budget cut. 'So babantayan ang budget this year para di maulit ang nangyari last year,' Angara told reporters. (We will be closely watching the budget this year so that what happened last year doesn't happen again.) Last December, Angara expressed disappointment over the P12-billion reduction in DepEd's proposed 2025 budget, with P10 billion slashed from the department's computerization program. 'Sa amin, almost P12 billion yung na-cut. Karamihan o yung bulk noon na P10 billion ay para doon sa computerization program ng Department of Education,' said Angara, a former chairperson of the Senate finance committee that scrutinizes the proposed national budget. (Almost P12 billion was cut, with the bulk—P10 billion—taken from the DepEd computerization program.) The budget cut, Angara noted, could derail efforts to modernize classrooms and equip learners and teachers with digital tools—an essential part of the agency's plan to improve education quality and access nationwide. With the QBEDP setting a unified 10-year vision anchored on decentralization, partnerships, and digital transformation, Angara said success now hinges on funding the reforms properly—especially amid the rollout of internet connectivity, curriculum upgrades, teacher promotions, and expanded TVET certification for students. On Monday, President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. acknowledged the challenges plaguing the Philippine education system, including learning poverty and infrastructure backlogs. In his fourth State of the Nation Address, he vowed to prioritize reforms and affirmed the government's commitment to increase investments in teacher support, curriculum upgrades, and digital tools. —VBL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
18 hours ago
- Climate
- GMA Network
DepEd eyes make-up classes after week-long suspensions
The Department of Education (DepEd) is planning to hold make-up classes following the week-long suspension of classes due to recent typhoons, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said Tuesday. 'Yes, plano talaga natin mag-make-up classes dahil kung 'di natin gawin 'yan, masyadong malaki ang mawawala sa ating mga kabataan,' Angara told reporters in an ambush interview. (Yes, we're really planning to hold make-up classes because if we don't, our youth will lose too much.) Several regions in the country suspended face-to-face classes for almost a week due to heavy rains and flooding brought about by multiple tropical storms in July. The interruptions affected the academic calendar, prompting DepEd to explore flexible options to ensure students can catch up without overburdening them or their teachers. 'Depende na 'yan sa mga schools kung kailan. Pwedeng dagdag lang na oras sa weekdays, pwede rin gawin sa Sabado,' Angara added. (That will depend on the schools—either adding hours during weekdays or holding classes on Saturdays.) 'Ititingnan din natin ang schedule ng mga teachers dahil gusto natin nagpapahinga din ang ating mga teachers,' Angara added. (We'll also consider teachers' schedules because we want to ensure they still get proper rest.) DepEd is expected to release a more detailed guideline in coordination with regional and school-level officials, allowing them to choose the most appropriate schedule adjustments based on their specific situations. The push for make-up classes comes as part of DepEd's broader efforts to address learning loss in the wake of climate-related disruptions. With weather disturbances becoming more frequent and intense, Angara acknowledged the need for more flexible and resilient academic calendars. During the launch of the Quality Basic Education Development Plan (QBEDP) 2025–2035, Angara also emphasized the importance of looking after students who have fallen behind, especially through expanded interventions like the ARAL Remediation Program and Summer Catch-Up Programs. 'For the first time, klaro na po ang direksyon,' he said. (For the first time, the direction is clear.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
18 hours ago
- Business
- GMA Network
DepEd launches 10-year plan to overhaul PH basic education
The Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday formally launched the Quality Basic Education Development Plan (QBEDP) 2025–2035 — a 10-year roadmap that aims to overhaul the Philippine education system. The DepEd said this would be done by investing in three engines of reform: decentralization, stronger public-private partnerships, and digitalization, all in the name of improving learning outcomes and future opportunities for Filipino learners. Speaking at the launch, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the comprehensive blueprint was shaped not just by policy experts, but by the lived experiences of teachers, learners, and education leaders on the ground. 'Ito ay isang pang-bansang blueprint, isang pang-matagalang plano,' Angara said. (This is a national blueprint, a long-term plan.) Angara acknowledged the challenges that have long plagued the education sector — outdated curricula, teacher overload, poor infrastructure, and subpar learning outcomes, among others. 'Ang mismong train system natin ang kailangang ayusin,' he stressed. (It's the very train system itself that we need to fix.) He then said that the plan identifies five main reform pillars — teachers, learners, governance, learning quality, and employability — with strategic initiatives for each, all underpinned by decentralization and accountability. Decentralization as a driving force At the heart of the QBEDP is the principle of decentralization. Angara stressed that control and decision-making must move from central offices in Manila to local school leaders who better understand community needs. This means empowering school heads, local DepEd divisions, and even teachers to make real-time decisions supported by accessible data. The agency's Project BUKAS (Building Up Knowledge and Accountability Systems) will release 22 key datasets to the public, including performance metrics for schools, enabling greater transparency. Public-private partnerships to build classrooms The QBEDP also leans heavily on public-private partnerships (PPP), which Angara called a 'game-changer,' especially as the government aims to build 40,000 new classrooms, provide laptops for all teachers, and improve internet connectivity nationwide. READ: SONA 2025: Marcos vows 40K new classrooms before end of his term READ: SONA 2025: Marcos vows internet for all public schools by end of 2025 READ: SONA 2025: Marcos admits 'reality' of PH education woes, vows reforms 'Kaya sabi niya (Pangulong Marcos), lahat ng guro natin magkakaroon ng laptop, makakatayo tayo ng 40,000 classrooms kasi mas malaki ang budget na ibibigay kapag sama-sama ang gobyerno, kasama ang pribadong sektor, kasama ang development partners,' he said. (That's why he said all our teachers will get laptops, and we can build 40,000 classrooms, because a bigger budget becomes possible when government, the private sector, and development partners work together.) Unlike previous piecemeal approaches, Angara emphasized that today's partnerships are 'mission-driven' and strategically aligned to improve education access and quality. Boosting learning outcomes and workforce readiness On learning quality, Angara noted that while the Philippines still struggles in international assessments like Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and National Achievement Test (NAT), the roadmap offers clear pathways for improvement. 'For the first time, klaro na po ang direksyon,' he noted. (For the first time, the direction is clear.) DepEd is rolling out a strengthened K-10 curriculum and piloting a revised senior high school (SHS) curriculum in 900 schools. The ARAL remediation program — first proven effective in Marikina City — will also be expanded nationally, helping more than 90,000 struggling learners catch up. For future readiness, over 170,000 SHS learners have already received TESDA NC II certifications for free, which was made possible under the embedded TVET qualifications—removing the previous P1,500 cost barrier. Through new Civil Service Commission rules, SHS and even junior high school graduates are now eligible to apply for first-level government jobs. Digitalization to drive inclusion The third major pillar is digitalization. Angara said DepEd is investing in data systems not just for modernity, but for fairness and inclusivity. The goal, he added, is to ensure every public school is connected to the internet and equipped with tools to respond in real-time to learners' needs. Angara concluded by reaffirming that the QBEDP is not a top-down mandate but a collective promise between DepEd, teachers, parents, and learners. 'Ngayong araw, hawak na po natin ang mapa. May isang direksyon na ang ating biyahe,' he said. (Today, we hold the map. Our journey now has a single direction.) Angara also called on all stakeholders to help lay the tracks forward, assuring teachers and learners that 'this time, the train will not pass them by.' Meanwhile, with the results of the 2026 PISA just around the corner, Angara said the administration is laying the groundwork for long-term improvements: 'Ang kumpiyansa ko ay maumpisahan natin ang proseso ng pagpapaganda ng ating sistema at ang pagpapaganda ng mga resulta sa mga large-scale assessments,' he said. (I'm confident we can begin the process of improving our system and improving results in large-scale assessments.) —KG, GMA Integrated News
