MANILA, Philippines –The Department of Education (DepEd) is focusing on a public-private partnership (PPP) model to tackle the long-standing issue of classroom shortages.
This initiative aims to construct 1,000 new classrooms across the country. Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara announced the plan on Wednesday, emphasizing the government’s commitment to collaborate with private entities to achieve the target.
The DepEd estimates that an additional 165,443 classrooms are necessary to meet the educational needs nationwide.
The proposed PPP model seeks to leverage private sector investments to accelerate the construction of classrooms. This approach is expected to alleviate some of the financial pressure on the government, which has continuously struggled to allocate sufficient funds for educational infrastructure.
The PPP scheme is a strategy that aims to involve private companies in financing, constructing, and maintaining school buildings, with the government remaining an active partner.
Angara has stressed the need for innovative solutions to address educational infrastructure challenges. The partnership program is part of a broader effort to modernize the education sector and ensure that students have access to quality learning environments.
Angara has called on private entities to participate actively in this initiative, offering them opportunities to contribute to the development of the Philippine education system.
Besides the PPP model, the Department of Education has also encouraged the adoption of the Adopt-a-School Program. This program invites private organizations to support schools by providing resources and facilities. The combination of PPP and other collaborative efforts is seen as a multifaceted approach to improve educational infrastructure.
The Department of Education is set to outline the specifics of the PPP model in the coming months, including the roles and responsibilities of both public and private partners. .
In recent years, the education department has faced criticism for delays in infrastructure projects and underutilization of allocated budgets.
