Stakeholders rally behind DepEd’s 'Project Bukas'

Representatives from the public and private sectors and civil society have conveyed their support for “Project Bukas” of the Department of Education (DepEd), which discloses datasets on assessment results and school characteristics aimed at promoting better transparency in the education sector.

“In an era where data drives progress, Project Bukas ensures that information is no longer confined to offices but is shared openly, responsibly, and meaningfully,” said Aurelio Montinola III, vice chairman of the Philippine Business for Education, during the launch event recently.

“We express our whole-hearted support for this initiative and look forward to the transformative opportunities it will unlock for the education sector,” he added.

The Evidence for Education (E4E) Coalition described Project Bukas as a crucial step toward transparency, accountability, people empowerment, and responsible decentralization in the education system.

“Change begins with integrity to acknowledge the challenges faced by the system. DepEd has set a powerful example for all government agencies to follow. The courage to be open is the first step to solving a problem.”

Similarly, the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) manifested its support for the program that “aims to create a platform for NGOs, private entities, including private schools, to share feedback, insights, suggestions, and assistance regarding DepEd’s continuous initiatives and strategies concerning open government.”

Non-profit organizations such as the Ayala Foundation and Gokongwei Brothers Foundation also shared how Project Bukas can positively impact the implementation of their education initiatives.

“Data-driven decision-making is crucial to our programs. With the transparency and insight provided by Project BUKAS, we can better align our initiatives with DepEd’s priorities and ensure that our collective efforts translate into lasting benefits for students, teachers, and communities,” said Ayala Foundation President Antonio Lambino II.

“DepEd’s transparency portal will provide non-profit organizations like us access to reliable data to help us further refine and develop our programs aimed at improving student learning outcomes — particularly in our focus areas of science, math, and, more recently, reading remediation,” said Grace Colet, Executive Director of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation.

The Center for Educational Measurement, Inc. (CEM) also underscored the importance of opening access to education indicators. “Project Bukas strengthens the foundation for more effective measurement of learning across schools and regions and a deeper understanding of where learners are, where gaps exist, and what interventions are working, thereby enhancing the relevance, responsiveness, and equity of education efforts,” said Dr. Grace Aguiling-Dalisay, President and CEO of CEM.

This initiative ultimately reiterates DepEd’s commitment to good governance and empowering stakeholders to be more actively involved in matters within the sector, paving the way for collaborative and inclusive action toward quality basic education for Filipinos.

“Gusto natin sa panig ng DepEd, dapat transparent, pinapakita natin saan ginagastos ang pera ng taumbayan. First time sa kasaysayan ng DepEd na ibibigay sa publiko ang lahat ng datos. Kung anong alam namin sa Central Office, sa regional office, yun din ang malalaman ng publiko,” said Education Secretary Sonny Angara during the program’s launch.

Stakeholders can utilize the datasets on the “Paaralang Bukas” dashboard to identify potential areas for partnerships in the basic education level, analyze trends in literacy and other performance indicators, monitor resource gaps, and use them as a basis for educational reforms. Machine-ready files containing these datasets can also be downloaded.