The Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday committed to lead the implementation of the roadmap of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) following its Final Report, “Turning Point: A Decade of Necessary Reforms (2026-2035).”

In a statement, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara said some of the recommendations have been part of the ongoing reforms advanced by the agency in line with the directives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

“Many of the recommendations reflect reforms that DepEd has already started implementing. What we are doing now is moving faster, scaling up, and tightening accountability,” he said.

Included in these crucial areas are learning recovery, foundational skills, and system-wide governance reforms.

Angara also underscored the need for a whole-of-nation approach to address current challenges in the sector, calling for sustained cooperation among government agencies, local government units, industry partners, parents, and other stakeholders.

“Turning Point is ultimately a nation-building agenda, and its success will depend on collective action,” he said.

The DepEd is strengthening early learning deliveries through the harmonization of curriculum, training of teachers, and utilization of unified data systems.

For the upcoming academic year 2026 to 2027, the agency will expand its feeding and parent engagement programs.

The implementation of the revised Kindergarten to Grade 10 curriculum is also underway, backed by large-scale teachers’ training and alignment of learning resources.

The DepEd is also implementing learning recovery intervention under the ARAL program, while national and international assessment results are being opened to schools, local governments, and parents through Project BUKAS to support timely, school-level action.

To ensure the welfare of teachers and quality lessons for learners, the DepEd has reduced administrative workloads through the deployment of non-teaching staff, alongside smoother and more aligned career progression systems.

The agency also ensured the digitization within the DepEd for a more seamless school process.

Alternative Learning System (ALS) is also undergoing enhancement in areas of literacy outcomes, learner monitoring, and completion rates.

For higher and technical education, it has strengthened its collaboration with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

In terms of classroom shortage, the DepEd has also intensified its early procurement measures and more flexible public-private partnerships (PPP) for large-scale school infrastructure projects to accelerate classroom delivery.

Biddings under the PPP are set to begin within the year, with projected simultaneous construction in the first quarter of 2027. (PNA)