BUZZ BEAT MEDIA

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday held the first-ever Classroom Summit, bringing together government agencies, private contractors, local governments, and development partners to address delays in classroom construction and improve flexibility, innovation, transparency, accountability, and good governance in education infrastructure.

For years, DepEd’s classroom backlog — estimated at 165,000 nationwide in 2022 — was handled through fragmented information and slow coordination, stretching delays across regions. The Summit signaled a shift toward a more organized approach, with stakeholders reviewing classroom prototypes, joining technical breakout sessions, and discussing construction capacity ahead of DepEd’s 2026 infrastructure rollout.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the event aims to break patterns that have held the system back and reinforce the education agenda of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

“We all know this is one of our more intractable problems at DepEd, and we’re hoping today’s activities will help provide clear solutions and ways forward. And definitely, DepEd is committed to working with various actors both in and out of government to make the President’s plan succeed,” Angara said.

One of the key developments in the Summit was the launch of the Strategic Resource Inventory for Deployment Efficiency (STRIDE) Dashboard, a new platform that pulls together enrollment, staffing, and infrastructure data to help regional and division offices make more grounded decisions on where classrooms and personnel are most urgently needed. The platform allows field offices to see mapped data and refine needs more accurately.

Moreover, the summit focused on strengthening planning and procurement readiness by engaging contractors, suppliers, and partners to align with market capacities and innovations. It is also served as DepEd’s market scoping activity pursuant to Republic Act No. 12009 (New Government Procurement Act) authored by then-Senator and now Secretary Angara.

Breakout sessions covered contractor accreditation, climate-resilient designs, financing options, and contract implementation. Exhibits showcased both a standard DepEd classroom and a disaster-ready temporary learning space that can be deployed after typhoons and earthquakes.

DepEd Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Fatima Panontongan underscored the goal behind the collective effort.

“Sa dulo, simple ang layunin: bigyan ang bawat batang Pilipino ng ligtas, matibay, at makabagong silid-aralan. With partners who believe in flexibility, innovation, transparency and accountability, kaya nating marating ito,” she said.

The summit also featured a Pledge of Commitment for Maayos, Mabilis, at Malinis na Procurement led by Undersecretary Peter Corvera, signaling a shared push to prevent past delays and improve delivery of school infrastructure and resources nationwide.

*All Photos from DepEd