Marcos wants to boost internet access, electricity in public schools
AS 27 million students returned to classrooms on Monday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. ordered key agencies to boost internet connectivity, electricity, and basic services in public schools, citing poor digital infrastructure nationwide.
During a visit to the Epifanio de los Santos Elementary School in Manila, Mr. Marcos said several government agencies were tapped to ensure a smooth start to the school year 2025-2026.
“I told the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to widen internet coverage among schools,” he told reporters in Filipino, according to a transcript from his office.
As of this date, only 60% of schools in the country have internet access, a figure the President described as very low, but he noted the DICT is already prioritizing providing connectivity to schools in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.
“The real problem is energy [supply],” he added. “That is why we’re fixing the problem slowly; we’ll see that it will soon become 100%.”
He also ordered the departments of Trade and Transportation to ease the burden of expenses on parents and students, emphasizing the existing student fare rates in public utility vehicles.
The chief executive also instructed the Public Works and Highways department to fast-track repairs of classrooms, toilets, and handwashing stations, as well as to prioritize building new classrooms in former conflict zones and remote areas still lacking basic facilities.
Campus security is also a priority, Mr. Marcos said as he directed the Interior and Local Government department and the Philippine National Police to intensify patrols around school zones.
The government is also installing closed-circuit television cameras in school perimeters and building kitchens in lower-income municipalities to support feeding programs.
Amid a persistent learning crisis, the government fell short of its target to hire 20,000 new teachers for the school year, managing to recruit only 16,000.
It is also seeking 10,000 additional administrative assistants to support public schools as they handle accounting, paperwork, documentation, and other matters.
Monday’s school opening also saw the pilot rollout of a revised K to 12 curriculum, which updated senior high school (SHS) program.
The Education department is implementing the pilot in 889 schools across the country, 12 years after the K to 12 system was institutionalized through Republic Act No. 10533, the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013.
The program, which extended the country’s basic education by two years, has faced sustained criticism over the past decade due to inadequate funding, added financial burdens on families, subpar educational outcomes, and questions about whether SHS graduates are job ready.
A January 2025 report, published by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) has warned about the dire state of basic literacy in Philippine public schools, with students falling four to five years behind the expected reading proficiency for their grade levels.
EDCOM 2 recommended a “teach-at-the-right-level” approach, tailoring instruction to students’ actual learning needs rather than their age or grade. The commission also called for stronger support from the Department of Education in enforcing remedial and foundational programs. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana
