PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. gave assurances that his administration is addressing the learning gaps that worsened at the height of the pandemic.

“We have renewed hope in giving the best to our next batches of students, especially the 28.4 million learners who returned to school this year. Learning recovery will be at the forefront of our education agenda,” Marcos said in his State of the Nation Address on Monday.

“The MATATAG Agenda for basic education has been launched, focusing on relevance of curriculum, rapid and responsive delivery, and the welfare of both learners and teachers,” he added.

The President stressed the need to recalibrate the K to 10 curriculum “to ensure that it is always relevant, responsive, and at par with international standards.”

“Literacy and numeracy skills are to be strengthened. The virtue of good citizenship and sense of community are also integrated in our curriculum,” he said.

The Department of Education has tapped alternative delivery modes and blended learning methodologies “to ensure unhampered learning.”

Last month, DepEd adopted the National Learning Recovery Plan to address learning losses due to the pandemic.

The department ordered the mandatory conduct of full in-person classes for School Year 2022-2023 with blended learning or other alternative modes of learning delivery being implemented during natural or man-made calamities.

As part of the NLRP, the agency has also set up the National Learning Camp, an end-of-school year voluntary program aimed to provide enrichment, consolidation, and intervention sessions for learners

Marcos, meanwhile, noted that school-based feeding programs are also being implemented “so that learners will be made more resilient.”

He added that public schools and facilities “are being increased and fortified.”

“The shortage of classrooms and facilities is being addressed. Aside from new constructions, schools and facilities are being retrofitted to become ready for the future—ready for hybrid and high-tech learning, and also climate-ready and disaster-proof,” he said.

Through the DepEd Partnership Assistance Portal, Marcos said that partners from the private sector continue to assist in the rehabilitation and improvement of schools as part of their corporate social responsibility programs.