DepEd eyes digital platform addressing school shortages

The Department of Education (DepEd) launched a digital platform to channel private sector resources into public schools, allowing donors to directly fund critical infrastructure and learning needs nationwide.

Unveiled during the Visayas leg of the Adopt-A-School Program roadshow, the online portal matches companies, civic groups, and individual donors with specific school projects. The system tracks contributions in real time and simplifies access to tax incentives granted under the Adopt-A-School Act.

“Many of our countrymen and those in the private sector want to help our schools and students,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said. “All we need to do is give them a faster and clearer system so they can be part of the change.”

The launch comes as the country’s education system faces severe resource shortages.

A report by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) found a backlog of 165,443 classrooms nationwide, forcing thousands of students into overcrowded rooms and shifting schedules. The commission warned the shortage could worsen as aging facilities become unsafe.

EDCOM II also documented a “proficiency collapse” across the school system, noting that nearly half of Grade 3 students cannot read at grade level, with academic performance dropping sharply as students advance.

The commission’s findings form the basis of a 10-year education reform roadmap.

In response, the education department presented an expanded menu of investments aligning donor support with its five-point reform agenda and the commission’s recommendations.

Priority funding areas include classroom construction, safe school initiatives, and work immersion programs for senior high school students.

Agency officials said the portal will increase transparency by allowing partners to monitor project implementation and fund allocation.

DepEd currently maintains 192 active partner organizations supporting interventions nationwide.

Officials hope the new digital gateway will encourage more private sector participation through tax incentives offered under the Adopt-A-School Program.