THE DEPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) advocated stronger global initiatives and regional cooperation on foundational learning during the Education World Forum (EWF) held in London from May 17 to 20, 2026.

Joining two high-level sessions alongside education leaders from Southeast Asia and other parts of the world, the Philippine delegation presented updates on the country’s strategies for learning recovery and education development.

According to DepEd, these initiatives are anchored on its 5-Point Reform Agenda, which focuses on learning recovery, teacher support, efficient governance, workforce readiness, and future-ready education.

The Department also highlighted key milestones in strengthening the country’s learning ecosystem, including the nationwide expansion of the School-Based Feeding Program for all Kindergarten and Grade 1 learners beginning this June, the distribution of home-based storybooks for Kindergarten to Grade 3 students, and continued academic gains through the institutionalized Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) program.

During the forum, international counterparts commended the Philippine government’s commitment to education financing, with education spending now equivalent to 4 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

“We recognized early on that educational decline cannot be solved through isolated projects or short-term campaigns. It requires structural reforms that strengthen how schools function, how teachers are supported, and how systems deliver results,” said Fatima Lipp Panontongan, DepEd undersecretary and chief of staff, who represented the Philippines at the forum.

The Philippine delegation also included Carmela Oracion, undersecretary for learning systems, and Rafaelita Aldaba, undersecretary for planning, E-CAIR, and PQF Secretariat.