President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. challenged the Department of Education to raise the bar further on its performance and accelerate improvements in the education system.

In his speech during the Basic Education Report 2024 in Pasay on Thursday, Marcos underscored that every child should have access to quality education regardless of background or ability.

"The times are changing, and our (...) methods need to change as well," Marcos said.

"It is not just learners in classrooms who must be graded; it is also the educational system that we must assess as well," the Chief Executive added.

Marcos also stressed the need for a more ambitious teaching approach, calling on the DepEd to go beyond basic requirements and "give ourselves assignments harder than what we ask our learners to submit."

The factor, Marcos said, is crucial to fulfilling the government's "greatest obligation" to the Filipino youth, which is to mold them into critical thinkers, problem solvers and visionary future leaders.

Marcos praised the DepEd for its innovative programs targeting marginalized groups like indigenous peoples, out-of-school youth and children with disabilities.

"In the end, the reforms that we envision for our educational system should be showcased in our classrooms," he said, painting a picture of classrooms equipped with resources and staffed by well-trained, motivated, and well-paid teachers.

In the same speech, Marcos urged DepEd to further "accelerate the building of more classrooms, laboratories, and schools" as the Education Department secured P11.7 billion for education projects.

"We should not let up on the gas pedal. We need to build more classrooms, laboratories, and schools at a faster pace," Marcos said.

The President acknowledged the challenges faced by DepEd, including "institutional bottlenecks," but praised the department's efforts in building and repairing thousands of classrooms in 2023. He expressed his expectation for continued progress in the coming years.

Marcos emphasized the importance of building schools that can withstand increasingly frequent and powerful storms and earthquakes.

"The climate is changing," he said. "Our construction methods, not just for schools but for all infrastructure projects, need to change too."

He lauded the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank for their assistance in boosting school disaster resilience.

Beyond physical infrastructure, Marcos also called for expedited delivery of educational materials and technology. "Books, furniture, and other pedagogical tools must be prioritized," he stated. He expressed his satisfaction with DepEd's progress in equipping schools with computers, laptops, and Wi-Fi services. Still, he reiterated the need to expand internet access beyond the current 70 percent of schools.

"The roadmap to the future is digital," Marcos declared. "One of the key goals is to ensure Wi-Fi services reach all schools. We must make it happen."