THE DEPARTMENT of Education assured the public that it is taking concrete steps to address longstanding problems in basic education, even as it delivered a smoother and safer class opening nationwide.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Education Secretary Sonny Angara led school visits in Bulacan and Quezon City to monitor preparations and showcase the administration’s initiatives to improve school facilities, electrification, and learner support.

“We’re making sure that every school has electricity and water—basic services that are essential for quality education,” President Marcos said during the class opening in Quezon City.

Secretary Angara also conducted site visits in Taguig City, Laguna, and Agusan del Norte, including the energization of Datu Saldong Elementary School, a remote campus that previously lacked electricity.

“There are only 46 students, but they had problems with absences because the children were easily distracted. After electricity was installed last Monday, the kids didn’t even want to go home. It shows that if we can engage our students, we can do a lot for our people,” Angara shared.

The Education Secretary also led the inauguration of a new Alternative Learning System–Community Learning Center in Buenavista, Agusan del Norte, reaffirming DepEd’s commitment to accessible and flexible education, especially for those outside the formal school system.

Nationwide, DepEd reported a largely peaceful and organized opening of classes, thanks to extensive coordination with local government units, regional offices, and partner agencies. One of the new programs introduced this year is CLASS+ (Clinics for Learners’ Access to School-health Services Plus), which gives learners and teachers better access to health services that were previously difficult or costly to obtain.

Still, DepEd acknowledged the urgent need to tackle persistent education issues. In Naic, Cavite, about 1,800 students continue to study in makeshift structures due to overcrowding and a shortage of classrooms. In Eastern Visayas and other areas, the lack of licensed guidance counselors has hindered the response to bullying and the provision of mental health support. Flooding also remains a recurring problem in low-lying schools in Bulacan, Pampanga, and Pangasinan, damaging learning materials and disrupting classes.

To ease classroom congestion, DepEd is partnering with the private sector to build over 15,000 classrooms by 2027. New school buildings are also being designed to withstand natural disasters, with multi-story structures and open ground floors to reduce flood damage.

To support student well-being, DepEd is enhancing Child Protection Committees and hiring more School Counselor Associates and Division Counselors. Angara stressed that mental health is now a key focus of education policy.

All 1.4 million kindergarten students are now covered under the expanded School-Based Feeding Program—up from 360,000 the previous year.

DepEd also confirmed that 884,790 teaching positions had been filled as of June 15, ensuring that public schools are fully staffed for the resumption of in-person classes. The Department of Budget and Management recently approved 20,000 additional teaching positions requested by DepEd for 2025.

“Education is not just about opening schools,” Angara said. “It’s about making sure every classroom is equipped, every teacher supported, and every child given a real chance to learn. That means addressing issues like flooding, congestion, mental health, and access—and working together to solve them.”