President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. put education at the forefront of his fourth State of the Nation Address, stressing the urgent need to improve foundational learning in the country.

“We are now clearly confronted with the reality facing our youth today — the lack of knowledge and skills, especially in mathematics, science, reading, and reading comprehension,” he said in Filipino.

To address the learning gaps and dropouts, Marcos vowed to ensure that “no Filipino learner is left behind and that every student reaches college.”

“We are concerned about those dropping out of junior and senior high school — about half a million children are already working,” he added.

Marcos said the government is prioritizing the construction of more classrooms and school facilities.

“If we’re investing heavily in infrastructure, we’re investing even more in our people. That is our core policy until the end of this administration,” he said.

He said the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program is underway, along with strengthened Early Childhood Care and Development. He also announced the hiring of more guidance counselors to address bullying and depression among students.

“Many students experience bullying or even depression. We’re closely monitoring the mental health of our youth,” he said.

To support early learning, Marcos said P1 billion has been allotted for 300 Barangay Child Development and Bulilit Centers nationwide.

“This is just the beginning. We’ll gradually address the severe daycare center shortage pending since the 1990s,” he said.