School opening generally smooth, orderly — Angara

The nationwide opening of classes Monday, 16 June, was generally "smooth and orderly," according to Department of Education Secretary Sonny Angara.

"So far ok naman, smooth and orderly naman 'yun pagbubukas natin ng klase (So far, everything's okay—the opening of classes has been smooth and orderly)," Angara told reporters in an ambush interview during the opening of classes at Epifanio Delos Santos Elementary School in Manila.

However, he noted that the worst incident was the fire that hit Quezon City on Sunday at San Francisco High School in Barangay Bagong Pag-asa.

"Yun talaga ang tinitingnan namin ano yung agarang solusyon o agarang tulong na maibibigay namin doon. So nakapaghanap kami ng furnitures para maibigay doon para may magamit yung mga bata (That's really what we're focusing on—what immediate solutions or assistance we can provide. So we were able to source some furniture to send there, so the children will have something to use)," the DepEd chief added.

DepEd has also activated its hotlines to receive complaints and concerns in relation to the first day of classes for School Year 2025–2026, Angara said.

Angara was joined by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. during the opening of classes at Epifanio Delos Santos Elementary School in Malate, Manila.

Marcos said all government agencies, including the Office of the President, will monitor the opening of classes to ensure all students' needs are met.

DepEd has implemented various reforms to support both learners and educators. These include a mandatory, easier, and cost-friendly enrollment process; health assessments for students; early delivery of laptops, smart TVs, and other digital tools to schools; increased medical and teaching allowances for teachers; the hiring of more teachers and administrative staff; and workload rationalization. DepEd will also pilot a strengthened senior high school curriculum this school year to improve readiness for college and employment.

“Malaking pasasalamat natin kay Pangulong Marcos sa mga repormang agad niyang itinulak para sa edukasyon. Mas mararamdaman ito ng ating ng mga guro at mag-aaral ngayong balik-eskwela. Kasama na dyan ang ang dagdag-suporta, kagamitan, at mga polisiyang nagpapagaan sa araw-araw nilang karanasan sa paaralan (We extend our deep gratitude to President Marcos for the reforms he swiftly pushed for in the education sector. These will be more strongly felt by our teachers and students as the new school year begins. This includes increased support, resources, and policies aimed at easing their day-to-day experiences in schools),” Angara said.

Over 27 million learners are expected to return to classrooms this year across around 48,000 public and 12,000 private schools.

School Year 2025–2026 marks the country’s first return to a June opening since the academic calendar was adjusted during the COVID-19 pandemic, a move made after listening to widespread calls from teachers, parents, and learners to avoid extreme weather disruptions and restore academic continuity.

The opening proceeded smoothly across regions, following weeks of preparation through the Department of Education’s Brigada Eskwela and Oplan Balik Eskwela, which mobilized local communities, schools, and government agencies to repair classrooms, clean campuses, and resolve logistical issues in time for the start of classes.

Angara also noted the positive start to the school year, citing the collaborative effort across all levels of government and local communities, also noting the big help of Brigada Eskwela and Oplan Balik Eskwela.

As of 14 June, the 2025 Oplan Balik Eskwela Public Assistance Command Center received a total of 1,690 concerns raised by parents, learners, and school personnel. Of these, 1,406 were resolved on the spot, as DepEd was able to address them promptly through coordinated efforts with schools and field offices.