BUZZ BEAT MEDIA

Education Secretary Sonny Angara has outlined the Department of Education’s (DepEd) plan to resolve the country’s 165,000-classroom backlog through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), with an initial target of constructing 15,000 classrooms by 2027.

Secretary Angara presented the plan to President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. during a recent meeting in Malacañang, following the signing of the Technical Assistance Agreement with the PPP Center in December 2024.

The initiative, under the PPP School Infrastructure Project (PSIP 3), will cost between PHP 37.5 billion and PHP 60 billion and benefit over 600,000 students nationwide. It is also expected to generate at least 18,000 jobs.

“The classroom gap is a massive challenge, but we believe that leveraging private investments through PPPs is the most efficient and sustainable way to address this,” Angara said.

DepEd has also laid out a roadmap for scaling up construction to 30,000 and 60,000 classrooms through PSIP 4 and 5.

In addition to addressing infrastructure needs, DepEd is spearheading efforts to equip public schools with power and digital tools through PPPs to improve learning outcomes.

Envisioned to roll out by mid-2026, the plan for digitalization and solarization of schools includes providing electricity supply to un-energized schools, Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite internet connectivity for unconnected schools, and tablets for learners and laptops for teachers.

Connectivity at this scale is expected to dramatically boost the effectiveness of teachers, while offering Filipino children a wealth of learning resources previously out of their reach.

“With a combination of strategic partnerships and digital investments, DepEd is committed to bridging both the classroom and digital divides to create a future-ready education system producing competitive and highly employable graduates,” Angara said.

*All Photos from DepEd