Angara: DepEd eyes public-private partnerships to fix classroom backlogs

Education Secretary Sonny Angara is eyeing to explore public-private partnerships in order to address classroom backlogs.

During a dialogue with school leaders and teachers of La Paz, Tarlac, Angara underscored his priorities to construct new school buildings, establish new classrooms, and provide digital devices to both learners and teachers.

''Ang tinutulak natin ngayon is mag-PPP tayo— public-private partnerships. Ibig sabihin, malakihan, bulto-bulto, 1,000 classrooms. Magpapa-bid tayo ng isang libong school buildings at i-o-offer natin sa private sector na magko-construct,” Angara said in a press release.

(We are pushing now is PPP— public-private partnerships. This means large scale, by bulk, 1,000 classrooms. We will bid out a thousand school buildings and we will offer the private sector to construct them.)

The former senator also wants an increased awareness about the ''Adopt-A-School Program'' in order to point out the law’s tax benefits to the adopting company or enterprise.

“Baka hindi alam noong ibang negosyante o ibang nagdo-donate, ibang charitable organizations, ipaalam niyo sa kanila na kapag nagdo-donate sila ng school building, maide-deduct nila doon sa kanilang taxable income,” Angara said.

“Marami lang hindi nakakaalam na may batas na ganoon. So with the help of the community (let us spread the word),'' he added.

During a Senate hearing last August, a DepEd official said the department will need around P397 billion to address the current 159,000 classroom backlog nationwide.

Meanwhile, as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025 test is approaching, the DepEd chief urged education officials to intensify preparations through practice tests.

He also wants to focus on nurturing learners’ critical thinking, problem solving, and analytical skills.

The meeting in Tarlac was attended by DepEd Regional Director Ronnie Mallari, PhD, CESO V; La Paz Mayor Venustiano Jordan; and other local government officials.

Angara was in Tarlac to lead the blessing and inauguration of Tarlac State University’s extended building, which he funded in 2023 when he was still senator. —RF, GMA Integrated News