President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday called for a collective effort to implement education reforms that go beyond political terms as he received the Second Congressional Commission on Education’s (EDCOM 2) final report on the country’s learning crisis.

In a ceremony at Malacañan Palace, Marcos received the final report titled “Turning Point: A Decade of Necessary Reform,” detailing EDCOM 2’s three-year findings on the Philippine education’s current state and the systemic weaknesses affecting learning outcomes.

Marcos also received the National Education and Workforce Development Plan (NatPlan) 2026-2035, a 10-year strategic roadmap developed by EDCOM 2 to reverse the Philippine education crisis and align workforce development with national goals.

“These documents reveal where we have fallen short and what we must do to improve our educational system. The final report of the EDCOM 2, aptly named ‘Turning Point: A Decade of Necessary Reform,’ provides a clear picture of the learning crisis that our education system needs to overcome,” he said in a keynote speech.

“The report includes the NatPlan, which offers us a ten-year plan to address the learning crisis that can be solved if we act in unity, and with determination and with consistency,” Marcos added.

Aligning ongoing reforms

Marcos noted that his administration has worked closely with the EDCOM 2 over the past three years to align ongoing education reforms with the education agencies’ recommendations.

He said efforts focused on addressing learning gaps exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and other emerging challenges such as climate change.

Marcos expressed confidence that with consistent implementation, support from all sectors, and alignment of government agencies, the reforms outlined in the report and NatPlan can address the proficiency collapse.

“We revised our basic educational curriculum, making it learner-centered, skill-focused, and decongested. To ensure that our teachers are focused on implementing this curriculum, we filled teaching and non-teaching positions and pursued the expanded career progression system,” he said.

He added that the initiatives aim to strengthen education and ensure that all Filipino learners have access to quality education.

Long-term commitment

Marcos emphasized the urgency of reforms and the need for long-term commitment to strengthen the education sector.

“This report shows us that we must think beyond the present, beyond my Administration and current local leadership terms. It calls on government, educators, industries, and communities to improve our educational system into one that will prepare every Filipino to meet the challenges of our time,” he said.

Marcos cited the PHP1.3 trillion allocation for the education sector in the 2026 national budget, the largest in Philippine history.

He said the amount, equivalent to 4.36 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, surpasses the global benchmark for education spending.

“Through this budget, we can hire more teachers to reduce their overall workload; implement learning recovery in reading, math and science; expand school-based feeding programs; and construct more classrooms, further improving our educational system,” Marcos said.

Health and scholarship support

Marcos also noted the strengthening of the Department of Education and PhilHealth’s YAKAP Caravans to provide learners and school personnel with direct access to primary care benefits.

He added that over PHP182 million in the 2026 budget will be used for scholarships in master’s degrees for guidance counseling, psychology, and other specializations.

Scholarships in technical-vocational education and training have also been expanded.

“With these initiatives, we will continue building on the progress that we have made and strengthening our efforts so that all Filipino learners receive the quality education that they deserve and that they rightly expect,” Marcos said.

Findings and recommendations

The NatPlan responds to a systemic “proficiency collapse” in Philippine education, which EDCOM 2 attributes to a combination of stunting, learning gaps, and insufficient skills development.

The report notes that 23.6 percent of children under 5 are stunted, permanently impairing cognitive development.

It also highlights that 91 percent of 10-year-old children cannot read and understand a simple text, while only 0.40 percent of Grade 12 students meet minimum proficiency standards.

The NatPlan also points out that 42 percent of senior high school graduates require remediation in college, and only 20 percent of graduates enter the labor force immediately, reflecting misalignment between education outcomes and workforce readiness.

To address these challenges, EDCOM 2 proposes a foundational-skills approach, emphasizing early interventions in reading, numeracy, and cognitive development to prevent further learning losses.

The plan sets aggressive targets across three milestone years—2028, 2031, and 2035.

These include plans to increase Grade 3 reading proficiency from a baseline of 47.74 percent to 95 percent and raise Grade 12 National Achievement Test proficiency from 0.40 percent to 90 percent.

Other targets include reduction of stunting prevalence from 23.6 percent to less than 20 percent and increased education spending to 5.5 percent of GDP. (PNA)