Duterte reiterates commitment for quality education

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Roa Duterte (PRRD) reaffirmed his strong support for quality basic education during his 2nd State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 24, highlighting the continuous empowerment of young and adult Filipino learners through wider and better access to academic and skills enhancement. “In our bid to accelerate human capital development, we seek to ensure lifelong opportunities by enhancing the quality of and access to education and training programs… We have sustained investments in higher education and
committed to the full implementation of the K to 12 Basic Education Program,” President Duterte emphasized.
The arrival of the first batch of Grade 12 learners in school year 2017-2018 signaled the full implementation of the enhanced basic education program. These learners continued with Senior High School (SHS) to finish their chosen tracks (Academics, Sports, Technical-Vocational Livelihood, and Arts and Design) and avail of better opportunities for employment, higher education, entrepreneurship, and mid-level skills development.
The President further underlined, “We have widened the reach of skills training and increased the number of out-of-school children and youth who have availed of the Alternative Learning System (ALS).”
In 2016, ALS saw an increased enrollment of 691,461 learners compared with the 586,693 total enrollment in 2015, a significant indication of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) expanded and intensified implementation of the second-chance education program for out-of-school youth (OSY) and adults – in line with the Duterte Administration’s thrust of accelerating human capital development through the implementation of inequality reducing transformation (Pagbabago).

Likewise, the President once more earmarked education sector to receive the biggest allocation of the P691 billion proposed 2018 national budget, of which DepEd will receive P585.22 billion, consistent with his commitment during the Palarong Pambansa 2017 that the sector will have the largest appropriation in the annual budget for the rest of his term.