Education Secretary Sonny Angara is backing President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s push to solve the country’s classroom shortage by partnering with the private sector, calling it a bold, necessary move to improve learning nationwide.
Speaking at the first post-SONA (State of the Nation Address) forum focused on education and labor, Angara said the Department of Education (DepEd) is ramping up Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) to accelerate the construction of much-needed classrooms.
“Malaking problema po ang kakulangan sa classrooms. Nakakaapekto ito sa kalidad ng pagkatuto ng ating mga kabataan,” Angara said. “Tama po ang sinabi ni Pangulo. We need to think out of the box.”
In his fourth SONA, President Marcos stressed the urgency of the classroom gap and vowed to build 40,000 new classrooms before the end of his term, with full funding support from Congress.
“Sa tulong ng pribadong sektor, magtatayo tayo ng dagdag pang mga silid-aralan. Kailangan po natin ang suporta ng Kongreso,” Marcos said.
Angara noted that government alone has only been able to build about 6,000 classrooms yearly over the past decade. But with private sector participation, he said, “we can build over 100,000 classrooms in five to 10 years.”
He also cited reforms that align education with labor market demands—especially in the age of automation and artificial intelligence.
DepEd is working closely with TESDA, CHED, and DOLE to strengthen the “TechPro” track in Senior High School. The program offers courses in fields like graphic design and electrical work to ensure graduates land quality jobs.
“Hindi lang ito tungkol sa trabaho. It’s about preparing students for better futures,” Angara said.
The post-SONA series is organized to explore policy priorities set by President Marcos, including education, employment, and long-term workforce competitiveness.
