President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., as chair of the Economy and Development (ED) Council, has approved the Project for Learning Upgrade Support and Decentralization (PLUS-D), a nationwide education initiative aimed at addressing learning losses and granting greater autonomy to regions and schools in implementing improvements.
Managed by the Department of Education (DepEd), PLUS-D will channel resources and technical support directly to schools and regional offices to accelerate learning recovery in the early grades and enhance instruction in junior high. The project combines nationwide learning interventions with targeted grants to more than 11,000 schools identified as ready to implement decentralized activities.
Supported by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), the six-year project will be financed through a P34.79 billion ($600 million) World Bank loan and a P3.47 billion ($60 million) counterpart from the Philippine government. Around 21.2 million K-10 learners are expected to benefit from the combined nationwide and targeted interventions.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the approval signals a major shift toward empowering those closest to learners to make decisions that directly affect education outcomes.
‘We know that a one-size-fits-all solution is not necessary to address learning gaps in every classroom. With PLUS-D, schools that have the capacity and readiness can move faster, innovate more, and be held accountable for real results for learners. We need to trust those closest to the children,’ Angara said. PLUS-D will provide system-level interventions, including technical and operational support for a nationwide learning acceleration program addressing gaps from Kindergarten to Grade 6, complementing the ongoing Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program.
A key feature of the project is a grant program for regional offices and schools, enabling them to finance targeted interventions for local learning improvement, teachers’ capacity building, and inclusive education. The initiative also strengthens performance-based accountability, where schools that significantly improve learning outcomes may receive additional funding and public recognition. The program will also expand the number of teachers receiving laptops to complement the existing Computerization Program and support DepEd’s digital transformation in basic education.
Implementation will begin in select regions, based on readiness indicators such as planning capacity, financial management, and school governance systems.