Business leaders urged: Help solve classroom shortage

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February 19, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Warning that delays in infrastructure and limited digital access continue to constrain learning opportunities for millions of Filipino students, Education Secretary Sonny Angara yesterday called on business leaders to take a central role in addressing the country’s 165,000-classroom shortage and modernizing public schools.

Speaking at the leadership forum of the Philippine Business for Education in Makati, Angara said the scale and urgency of the education crisis demand deeper collaboration between government and industry.

He said the Department of Education (DepEd) is pursuing large-scale public-private partnerships (PPP) to fast-track classroom construction and improve school infrastructure.

“PPP is the bridge between urgency and execution. We invite the private sector not as donors, but as co-architects of national development,” Angara said, adding that the partnerships are expected to deliver up to 106,000 classrooms in the coming years as part of a broader strategy to close the nationwide deficit.

According to Angara, traditional government procurement for classroom projects can take two to seven years, while PPP arrangements can cut delivery timelines to as little as one to two years by streamlining approvals and consolidating procurement processes.

He noted that DepEd has secured approval for the construction of an initial 16,000 classrooms under the latest phase of its PPP program, prioritizing areas with the most severe shortages.

At the same time, Angara said the department is advancing a nationwide digital transformation program to equip schools with connectivity, devices and modern education technology.

“We are embedding technology into the core of our system to ensure that Filipino learners are prepared for the future,” Angara said.

He cited DepEd’s partnership with Khan Academy, which now supports more than 2,800 public schools nationwide.

The initiative has improved student performance in mathematics and helped teachers save time in lesson preparation, demonstrating the potential of digital tools to strengthen learning outcomes.

Angara stressed that private sector participation is vital in bringing technical expertise, innovation and efficient project implementation.

“Education has always been a shared responsibility. But today, it must also be a shared investment. This is a nation-building strategy,” he added.

Representatives from major business and professional groups attended the forum, including the Makati Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Employers Confederation of the Philippines, Philippine Constructors Association, Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines and Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc.