THE country’s educational sector is currently beset by challenges, many of them inherited by the current leadership at the Department of Education from the previous administration.
It is clear that the government cannot solve by itself the herculean problems in uplifting the educational sector from the doldrums.
For one, public-private partnerships (PPPs) have been proven as a viable solution to the challenges in several sectors-mainly in education. It can fast-track construction of much-needed classrooms and facilities, addressing critical shortages that force students into cramped, multi-shift conditions. They bring private investment and resources to the education sector, supplementing government funds for educational projects and programs.
By integrating private sector expertise and resources, PPPs can lead to more efficient project delivery, higher-quality infrastructure, and improved management of educational services.
Executive Director Hanibal Camua of the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) told the BusinessMirror that the advocacy group has long emphasized collaborations between government and industry as essential to improve the quality of the education system in the country.
‘Through [PPPs], we can address funding gaps in education,’ Camua emphasized. ‘Government resources alone are insufficient to meet the growing demands of learners, especially in infrastructure, technology, and teacher training.’
He said that, by engaging the private sector-whether through scholarship programs, capacity-building, curriculum development, or facilities provision-the state can maximize resources and deliver quality education more efficiently.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. insisted on the importance of PPPs in strengthening the country’s educational sector. With his directive, Secretary Juan Edgardo ‘Sonny’ Angara has aggressively been forging alliances with private education stakeholders through the Public-Private Complementarity Framework to address persistent challenges and implement the administration’s Five-Point Reform Agenda.
‘As you all know, DepEd faces long-standing challenges, but we continue to collaborate with our private partners to bring our projects to life and transform our education system,’ Angara confirmed.
Angat Buhay contribution
THE Angat Buhay Foundation is one of the major players in the PPP in education. It has built low-cost, high-quality classrooms, improved literacy and numeracy through programs like ‘Bayan Ko, Titser Ko,’ providing essential school supplies and feeding programs to address malnutrition, and creating safe learning and living spaces through initiatives like student dormitories.
To address the dearth of classrooms in the public sector, the foundation has been building fully furnished classrooms-at a lower cost, and in a shorter time compared to traditional methods, addressing the significant backlog of classrooms in the country.
According to Angat Buhay, it can construct a one-story, two-classroom facility for early-grade learners for P800,000 to P1 million per classroom. This is significantly lower than the figure of at least P3.5 million or more for some government-constructed projects, while maintaining quality and durability. Furthermore, these classrooms are fully furnished and built in three to four months, demonstrating a model for faster and more cost-efficient classroom construction.
It also focuses on improving student outcomes through targeted interventions. ‘Bayan Ko, Titser Ko’ improves the literacy and numeracy of struggling Grade 2 pupils, while involving parents and guardians in the learning process. To ensure students are ready to learn, the foundation implements feeding programs to address malnutrition and provides initial school supplies.
Crucially, Angat Buhay goes beyond immediate aid by fostering a community-wide commitment to education. It mobilizes volunteers nationwide through the Angat Bayanihan Volunteer Network, and strengthens partnerships with civil society and the private sector such as SM Supermalls and the Jesus V. Del Rosario Foundation to fund and implement sustainable educational projects.
Beyond reading, Angat Buhay also conducts interventions to enhance numeracy and equip students with skills for future employment, promoting a love for learning.
Likewise, the foundation implements feeding programs to address malnutrition, ensuring that early-grade learners have the nutritional status needed to learn effectively.
As part of its classroom initiatives, Angat Buhay provides initial school supplies to students, ensuring they have the basic materials needed for their studies.
Moreover, it strengthens its Angat Bayanihan Volunteer Network to mobilize unique volunteers nationwide, amplifying civic participation and community-led educational initiatives.
What needs to be done?
DESPITE a high basic literacy rate, Camua pointed out that the quality of local education remains a major concern. The country consistently ranks at or near the bottom in global evaluations like the Programme for International Student Assessment or PISA for reading, math, and science.
For the past years, PBEd has observed efforts by the government to address the learning crisis and improve the quality of education in the country, including the performance of learners in PISA.
‘Because these challenges stem from decades of neglect in the education sector, we must now intensify efforts to confront the crisis head-on,’ the PBEd official explained. ‘This calls for a whole-of-society approach and the implementation of targeted, sustained reforms to secure lasting improvements.’
Camua believes that, to improve learning outcomes, systemic reforms need to be implemented in teacher quality, curriculum alignment, and assessment systems.
He said it is also equally important for the government to prioritize early-grade literacy and numeracy, improve teacher training and support, and ensure learning resources reach schools.
At the same time, the private sector should be tapped as a partner in bridging gaps. ‘Businesses and education advocates can support teacher upskilling, provide modern learning tools, and strengthen work-readiness programs.’
‘No less important is institutionalizing collaborations [among Government-Industry-Academe or GIA which brings employers, schools, and policymakers together to align curricula with labor market needs, as well as] expand work immersion and apprenticeship opportunities,’ Camua remarked. ‘We’ve seen in PBEd’s programs the critical role of a GIA Council in ensuring that there is inclusive learning- that what students gain in school translates to real-world skills.
Strengthening K-12
PBED recognizes that the K-12 reform has not fully met its promise, particularly in employability of graduates among senior high-school students.
‘However, together with the industry, we reaffirm our support for the strengthening of the K-12 system,’ said Camua. ‘As with any major reform, we underscore that the full impact of its benefits take time to materialize. We should not mistake the challenges of implementation as flaws of the system itself. The K-12 framework is globally recognized and proven to be effective.’
Besides strengthening core skills, the program is designed to bridge the school-to-work gap and give students practical, preparatory and employable skills. Thus, Camua averred, ‘the additional two years is a necessary and worthwhile investment in our children’s education.’
Instead of dismantling the program, PBEd believes the government must focus on strengthening its implementation by addressing foundational core skills and aligning education outcomes with needs of the economy.
It also urges the national government to also recognize the critical role of the local government units in education. Camua urged that ‘we must give schools, LGUs, and local school boards more authority and resources to innovate, adapt curriculum, and manage work immersion programs that respond to their own regional industries.’
By transferring decision-making close to the ground, the public and private sectors must ensure that the K-12 program is not only compliant with national standards but also responsive to local labor market realities.
‘At the same time, we must continue to build on current reforms-including the pilot roll-out of the enhanced SHS curriculum, to work in partnership with private education, and expand the work immersion program to boost employability,’ Camua commented.