BEDP 2030 Notes

2.0 The Context of the Philippine Education Sector

• The Basic Education Development Plan (BEDP) 2030 is the Philippines’ first long-term plan for basic education, covering all formal education from Kindergarten (K) through Elementary and Junior High School (JHS) to Senior High School (SHS), plus non-formal education via the Alternative Learning System (ALS).

• BEDP links basic education to the broader education system, including Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD), Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) via TESDA, and higher education via CHED.

• It responds to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, specifically SDG 4: inclusive, equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.

• The BEDP provides a national blueprint to formulate, implement, coordinate, and supervise policies, plans, programs, and projects for both public and private schools in formal and non-formal education.

• The Philippines’ long-term sector dream is captured in AmBisyon Natin 2040: educated Filipinos; the BEDP outlines strategies to realize this dream.

• A national BEDP was lacking since BESRA (2015). BESRA directed governance directions for regions, divisions, and schools; BEDP aligns with these scales to produce coordinated regional, division, and school plans.

• Development process and governance:

  • Highly participatory and consultative process with input from all education sector stakeholders.

  • Steering Committee provided overall direction and high-level advice on BEDP scope and components.

  • UNICEF and PROMAN provided technical assistance; five thematic working groups (TWGs) addressed essential pillars: governance/management/operations; learning outcomes; equity; education finance; cross-cutting and support services.

  • Each TWG led by a DepEd Assistant Secretary or Director; membership included diverse Directors and technical staff; UNICEF and PROMAN facilitated; Education Futures consultants also participated.

  • At least 10 plenary/consultative meetings occurred over ~3 months to prepare the Results and Monitoring & Evaluation Framework.

• BARMM note: BEDP analysis includes data from BARMM but BEDP will not be implemented there because BARMM has its own ministry (MBTHE) delivering basic education.

• Governance bodies:

  • DepEd Steering Committee consists of the Secretary of Education, Undersecretaries, and Assistant Secretaries.

  • Planning Service supported secretariat work, coordinating meetings and building broad consensus across central/regional/division units.

• Consultation tools used during BEDP development: Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams due to COVID-19 restrictions; connectivity issues acknowledged but views were accommodated.

2.1 National Development Context

• Geography and population:

  • Philippines is an archipelago of 7,641 islands with ~300,000 km² land area.

  • Accessibility challenges on small/island areas; difficult terrain on main lands; disaster-prone (typhoons, eruptions, floods, earthquakes).

• Population data:

  • ~100.98 million in 2015; projected to ~108.77 million in 2020; PSA projects average growth $ext{growth} \approx 1.16\% \text{per year}$ until 2030.

  • Official languages are Filipino and English; >170 indigenous languages with dialects; 14–17 million indigenous peoples (IP) across ~110 ethno-linguistic groups.

• Political/administrative context:

  • Unitary presidential republic with three co-equal branches: Executive, Legislative, Judiciary.

  • Local Government Units (LGUs) govern specified territories; devolution through Local Government Code (RA No. 7160, 1991) increased LGU coordination with national government post-devolution.

  • Administrative divisions: 17 regions (including BARMM as autonomous region), 81 provinces, 146 cities, 1,488 municipalities, 42,036 barangays (as of 2015); urbanization shows around $51.2\%$ urban population (vs. 45.3\% in 2010).

• Language and culture:

  • Filipino and English are official; 170+ indigenous languages with regional dialects.

• Economic context (snapshot):

  • 2010–2019 growth favorable pre-COVID; by late 2020, macro indicators show COVID-19 impact on employment and underemployment, with regional disparities in labor force participation and underemployment.

  • Mean years of schooling and school life expectancy figures indicate progress but persistent gaps by region and gender.

2.2 Legal Framework

• Constitutional foundation (1987 Constitution): right to quality education at all levels; state obligation to ensure access, equity, and quality.

• Key governance and reform acts:

  • Republic Act No. 9155 (Governance of Basic Education Act, 2001): strengthened governance of basic education; renamed DECS to DepEd; reallocated cultural and sports functions; introduced shared governance principles.

  • Republic Act No. 10157 (Kindergarten Education Act, 2012): mandatory Kindergarten for 5-year-olds; linked to MDG/EDU goals.

  • Republic Act No. 10533 (Enhanced Basic Education Act, 2013): restructured basic education into K–12; introduced two SHS years after JHS; included ALS in basic education.

  • Republic Act No. 11510 (Alternative Learning System Act, 2020): strengthens ALS for out-of-school children/youth and adults; expands non-formal/indigenous education; ensures alignment with national goals.

  • Republic Act No. 11054 (Organic Law for BARMM, 2018): BARMM education under Bangsamoro Government; mandates integrated system of quality education; regulates private schools; includes Madaris integration and ALIVE curriculum for Muslim students.

  • Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities (RA 7277, as amended) and RA 9710 (Magna Carta of Women), RA 10627 (Anti-Bullying Act, 2013): protections for vulnerable groups; child protection duties; inclusive education emphases.

  • RA 11037 (Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act): school-based feeding program and related health/nutrition provisions.

  • Other cross-cutting laws addressing youth entrepreneurship, job placement (RA 10679, RA 11230), and social protection (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program – 4Ps).

• Mandanas ruling (Mandanas et al. v. E.S.): Supreme Court decision affecting LGU revenue shares; broader LGU revenue base may influence local education funding and inputs.

• International commitments: Universal Declaration of Human Rights; UNCRC; ICESCR; UNCRPD; Child protection conventions; obligations to provide inclusive education.

2.3 Overview of the Structure of the Education Sector

• Four major levels/entities:

  • Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) under ECCD Council.

  • Basic Education under DepEd (K to 12, ALS, and basic education for all).

  • Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) under TESDA.

  • Higher Education under CHED.

• ECCD and early education:

  • ECCD Council (attached to DepEd) oversees health, nutrition, early education, and social services for 0–4 years; includes ECE (3–4 years) and transition to Kindergarten; LGUs deliver ECCD services.

• Basic Education:

  • Public and private schools supervised by DepEd; includes Kindergarten, Elementary (Grades 1–6), Junior High School (Grades 7–10), Senior High School (Grades 11–12), and ALS.

• TVET:

  • TESDA sets skills standards, conducts tests, and coordinates HR policies for post-secondary non-tertiary education and other certifications.

• Higher Education:

  • CHED promotes access to quality higher education, academic freedom, research, leadership, and professional education.

• Other agencies and coordination:

  • National agencies (e.g., DPWH, DSWD, DOH, NEDA, DBM) interact with education.

  • Coordinating bodies include NEDA Social Development Committee and Philippine Qualifications Framework; collaboration among DepEd, TESDA, CHED occurs but is largely ad hoc.

• Additional agencies:

  • National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

• Key sub-systems and programs:

  • IP Education Program; Indigenous Peoples (IP) rights, IP education policy; Madrasah education in BARMM via ALIVE integration.

  • ALS supports non-formal education; new ALS Bureau anticipated under the ALS Act; inclusion of CLCs and local alternative education pathways.

3.0 KEY FEATURES OF THE EDUCATION SITUATION ANALYSIS

• The BEDP 2030 analyzes equitable access, quality of education, financing, system management, and disaster risk reduction/management.

• Focus on equity, outcomes, and the systemic management of resources and processes to achieve SDG 4 and the AmBisyon targets.

3.1 Equitable Access and Participation

• BEDP presents GER (Gross Enrollment Rate) and NER (Net Enrollment Rate) by level for SY 2017–2020 (illustrative values below):

  • Kindergarten: GER $ext{SY 2017-2018} = 102\% , \text{SY 2018-2019} = 107\% , \text{SY 2019-2020} = 90\%$; NER $ext{SY 2017-2018} = 84\% , \text{SY 2018-2019} = 76\% , \text{SY 2019-2020} = 63\%.$

  • Grades 1–6: GER $ext{SY 2017-2018} = 105\% , \text{SY 2018-2019} = 102\% , \text{SY 2019-2020} = 101\%$; NER $ext{SY 2017-2018} = 94\% , \text{SY 2018-2019} = 94\% , \text{SY 2019-2020} = 94\%.$

  • JHS (Grades 7–10): GER $ext{SY 2017-2018} = 95\% , \text{SY 2018-2019} = 100\% , \text{SY 2019-2020} = 102\%$; NER $ext{SY 2017-2018} = 76\% , \text{SY 2018-2019} = 81\% , \text{SY 2019-2020} = 83\%.$

  • SHS (Grades 11–12): GER $ext{SY 2017-2018} = 67\% , \text{SY 2018-2019} = 74\% , \text{SY 2019-2020} = 78\%$; NER $ext{SY 2017-2018} = 46\% , \text{SY 2018-2019} = 51\% , \text{SY 2019-2020} = 48\%.$

• Observations:

  • Enrollment rose in SHS (GER rise by 11\p.p. over three years) while SHS NER rose by less than 2\p.p., indicating more learners entering SHS at older ages.

  • Kindergarten and Elementary GER declined over the period, with lower NER reflecting stricter age cut-offs and policy adjustments (see 3.1.1 below).

  • SHS vouchers (private and public) contributed to greater SHS enrollment, reducing pressure on public SHS facilities.

• Transition and regional dynamics:

  • Transition rates Grade 4→5 ~ $99\%$ in 2019–2020; Grade 6→7 ~ $95.5\%$ (males 94%, females 97%); BARMM shows lower transitions (e.g., Grade 4–5 transition ~ 80%).

• Gender dynamics:

  • Gender balance in early years; higher female enrollment in SHS; NER gap favors females in SHS (e.g., SHS NER by gender shows females higher by up to ~15\pp in some regions).

  • In SHS, BARMM shows markedly low NER overall (M: $7.49\%$; F: $13.73\%$ in SHS).

• Regional insights:

  • NCR and BARMM show striking differentials in access, with BARMM lagging behind national averages in JHS/SHS; CAR and BARMM areas show higher dropout tendencies and lower completion rates.

• Equitable access implications:

  • Need to address age-appropriate enrollment, especially at Kindergarten and SHS, while preserving gains in access for marginalized groups (IP, BARMM, GIDA).

3.1.1 Participation by Education Level in Basic Education

• Kindergarten policy and access dynamics:

  • RA 10157 (Kindergarten Act, 2012) made Kindergarten mandatory for all 5-year-olds.

  • Enrollment fluctuated due to policy shifts on age cut-off (2015–2016 changes; 2016 policy lowered intake by shifting cut-off to August or June in different years).

  • SY 2012–2013 GER 102.7%; NER 77%; fluctuations included a high GER of 107% in SY 2013–2014 and a low of 82.5% in SY 2016–2017.

  • SY 2019–2020: Kindergarten GER $90\%$; NER $63\%$; policy adjustments around June 1 cut-off contributed to declines (66% in 2016, then adjustments in 2017, and sharp drop in 2019 after June cut-off enforcement).

  • Private school start months and policy flexibility moderated some declines but overall NER declined with June cut-off enforcement.

• Elementary enrollment:

  • NER has hovered around $95\%$ in recent years, indicating about 5\% of elementary-age children are not in school or not in the correct grade.

  • GER/NER gap narrowed from about 18 p.p. (2009) to about 7 p.p. (2020).

  • Reasons for non-attendance include lack of personal interest, disability, and insufficient family income.

• JHS and SHS enrollment and age-appropriateness:

  • JHS GER and NER increasing; 2019–2020 NER ~ $83\%$; gender gap ~ 8.4 p.p. in favor of females at JHS.

  • SHS GER rose from 67\% to 78\% (2017–2020); SHS NER remained lower (~48\% in 2019–2020) reflecting age misalignment and access.

  • The large increase in SHS GER is partly due to voucher programs and expanding SHS access via private and public providers.

3.1.2 The Education of Groups in Situations of Disadvantage and Vulnerability in the Philippines

• Out-of-School Children and Youth (OSCY):

  • 2017 PSU indicators: ~9.1\% of population aged 6–24 not attending school (≈ 3.57 million across 6–24); basic education OSCY ~1.43 million (1.007M male; 0.425M female).

  • COVID-19 likely worsened OSCY numbers due to economic pressures and school closures.

  • Distribution by income decile shows higher OSCY concentration among bottom deciles (First/Second/Third deciles more affected for certain groups).

  • Poverty and child labor links: lower education attainment correlates with poverty risk; by decile, the bottom 40% show higher OSCY incidence.

  • Autonomous Regions (BARMM) and Mindanao show higher poverty and OSY risk in some data snapshots.

• Vulnerable groups and inclusion:

  • Indigenous Peoples (IP), GIDA (Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas), and BARMM show elevated dropout/low enrollment risk due to access barriers, language, culture, and conflict contexts.

  • IP learners represented ~9.48% of enrollment in SY 2019–2020; IPs are concentrated in BARMM, Region XI, CAR, and Region IX; data on IPs is sensitive to misclassification and data quality issues.

• Private/public program targeting:

  • Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) interacts with education access; ~8.2 million 4Ps beneficiaries; region distribution does not strictly follow enrollment or poverty incidence; further study needed.

• Implications for policy:

  • OSY and disadvantaged groups require targeted non-formal/ALS pathways, flexible delivery modes, and data systems that better capture marginalized populations.

3.1.3 A Rights-Based Education Through Inclusion Programs

• Rights-based framework (RBE-DepEd):

  • Education a fundamental right; DepEd emphasizes three interrelated rights: (a) right to access to education, (b) right to quality education, and (c) right to respect in the learning environment.

  • Child rights are central to policies and programs; children are active rights-holders and are to be empowered to claim their rights.

• Inclusion programs and services:

  • Special Education (SPED) for learners with disabilities; includes early intervention, curriculum adaptations, learning resource support, and transition programs; active medical referrals where needed.

  • Child Protection Unit (CPU) and Child Rights in Education Desk (CREDe) established by DepEd Order No. 3, s. 2021; CREDe focuses on child-centered and child-caring environments; CPU coordinates child protection programs.

  • Inclusive Education Policy Framework (DepEd Order No. 21, s. 2019) supports school-based inclusion and rights-driven design.

• Vulnerable groups and classroom inclusion:

  • SPED population data, gender distribution, and vulnerability indicators (e.g., higher index of bullied or marginalized students) highlight ongoing needs for inclusive practices.

  • Local data and qualitative studies show higher vulnerability among IP, GIDA, BARMM, and marginalized groups; data collection requires culturally sensitive approaches.

• Broader rights framework:

  • UNCRC (Rights of the Child) and UNCRPD (Disabilities) obligations inform national policy on inclusive education and accommodations.

3.1.4 Private Education

• Private sector role and shares:

  • In SY 2019–2020, private schools accounted for roughly $16\%$ of total basic education enrollment.

  • Private elementary enrollment share has been relatively stable historically; private secondary (JHS/SHS) shares increased in the past, but declined slightly due to COVID-19 disruptions.

• Historical context and trends:

  • Pre- and post-1987 private sector influence: private sector dominated higher levels; universal public secondary schooling reduced private dominance in the late 1980s–1990s.

  • By 2020, private SHS enrollment remained substantial; voucher programs and public-private partnerships help diversify options and ease public system capacity constraints.

• COVID-19 impact:

  • SY 2019–2020 private enrollment was ~4.3 million; 2020–2021 private enrollment dropped to ~3.4 million (≈22% decline); about 398,881 learners moved from private to public schools; 700 private schools permanently closed.

• Implications for equity and access:

  • Private sector serves as a buffer to public system capacity, but disruptions can affect access and equity, necessitating targeted public subsidies (vouchers, 4Ps linkages) and capacity-building in public schools.

3.1.5 Health; Nutrition; and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

• Health and nutrition mandate:

  • DepEd implements Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act (RA 11037): school-based feeding for undernourished learners; includes meals, micronutrient supplementation, and related health services (Gulayan sa Paaralan, deworming, vaccinations).

  • Ok DepEd (Oplan Kalusugan) launched in 2018 to integrate health/nutrition programs and promote healthier student outcomes; collaboration with DOH and DSWD.

• Nutrition status findings (SY 2018–2019):

  • Severe wasting and stunting persist; rising overweight/obesity in urban areas; nutrition directly linked to learning outcomes.

  • The UNFPA Longitudinal Cohort Study shows correlation between undernutrition (stunting, low BMI) and lower school outcomes (repeated grades, missed classes, lower aspirations).

• WASH in Schools (WinS):

  • DepEd policy (WinS) requires access to safe drinking water, gender-segregated toilets, handwashing facilities; aims to improve hygiene and sanitation in schools.

  • A three-star WinS monitoring system was implemented with rising participation from SY 2017–2018 to 2019–2020; a three-star approach provides benchmarks and incentives.

• Cross-cutting health/nutrition integration:

  • OK DepEd and WinS monitoring are integrated into School-Based Management (SBM) and school-level governance; efforts to ensure safe, healthy learning environments.

3.2 Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes

• Purpose and framing:

  • Assessments link teaching quality, learning resources, curricula standards, and student learning outcomes (SLOs).

  • Assessments are used to inform teaching and policy, not solely to penalize learners.

• Assessment forms and timelines:

  • Classroom assessments: formative and summative; used by teachers to gauge individual and group progress; portfolios and project-based work encouraged.

  • National assessments (BEA): annual system monitoring through NAT (Grade 6, Grade 10, Grade 12 exit); ELLNA assessed Grade 3.

  • Accreditation & Equivalency (A&E) tests for ALS participants.

  • International large-scale assessments (ILSAs): SEA-PLM (Grade 5), TIMSS (Grade 4), PISA (15-year-old learners).

  • Career assessment: Grade 9 aptitude/career interests for SHS tracks.

• Implementation notes:

  • No regional/division achievement tests (DAT/RAT) currently permitted; reliance on school-based assessments and national assessments; potential division-level testing may be reintroduced if school closures persist.

• Table 10 (measures of SLOs) summarizes: classroom assessments, NAT, ELLNA, A&E, SEA-PLM, TIMSS, PISA, and NCAE across K–12.

• Implications:

  • Alignment with international benchmarks guides curriculum adaptation; ongoing emphasis on formative assessment and teacher capacity-building to improve feedback mechanisms.

3.3 The Education Budget and Financing

• Budgetary instruments and financing mechanisms include:

  • 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) provides conditional cash transfers to support school enrollment and attendance; DepEd coordinates with DSWD; regional distribution of 4Ps beneficiaries is uneven across BARMM, NCR, and other regions.

  • SHS vouchers: private SHS enrollment supported by DepEd-funded vouchers; Public-private partnerships through Joint Delivery Voucher Programs for TVET and SHS tracks.

  • ALS funding and the establishment of a Bureau of ALS under the ALS Act; expanded financing through Local School Boards’ Special Education Funds.

• Key numbers and programs:

  • 4Ps beneficiaries: about $8.2\times 10^6$ learners; major shares located in Regions V, BARMM, VI, and IV-A.

  • SHS voucher program funds support thousands of learners (data include ~1.29 million SHS vouchers in private SHS and ~58.8k in non-DepEd public SHS; figure cited from DepEd budget sources).

• Private sector and public investment interplay:

  • The Mandanas ruling increases LGU revenue potential for education, potentially expanding inputs (teachers, facilities) and program implementation aligned with local needs.

• Implications for equity and sustainability:

  • Budgetary planning must account for regional disparities (BARMM, CAR, Zamboanga Peninsula, etc.); ensure continued support to vulnerable groups (IP, PWDs, OSCY) and maintain essential health and nutrition programs.

3.4 System Management

• DepEd organizational structure (central, regional, and schools division levels):

  • Central Office; 16 Regional Offices (BARMM autonomous region separate); 214 School Division Offices; Multi-layered governance spanning central to school level.

  • The 2015 DepEd Order No. 52 reorganized central/regional/division structures under the New Organizational Structures framework.

  • The Central Office comprises bureaus and services (budget, accounting, admin, procurement, planning, etc.).

  • Regional Offices translate policy to the field; Schools Division Offices handle school governance and SBM; School heads manage schools (principals or heads).

• Local governance and school governance:

  • School heads are responsible for SBM, stakeholder engagement, and LGU partnerships.

  • Community Learning Centers (CLCs) serve as hubs for learning resources for out-of-school children/adults.

• Major challenges and data:

  • Contextualizing programs across regions is difficult; 47,421 public schools; 13,256 private schools; 1,297 teaching-related/other staff in central/regional levels; ~965,660 total DepEd staff (as of Jan 2021).

  • The data indicate a large and complex workforce and a need for robust monitoring and evaluation to ensure alignment with BEDP goals.

3.5 Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

• DRRM integration:

  • DRRM is a cross-cutting concern integrated into school planning, infrastructure resilience, and learning continuity planning.

  • The BEDP acknowledges the need to strengthen disaster risk reduction as part of sustainable education delivery in a disaster-prone archipelago.

4.0 Additional Context and Indicators (Selected Highlights)

• Student outcomes and efficiency indicators:

  • CSR and CR show high elementary retention (≈ $97\%$) but varying retention in JHS and SHS; the gap between CSR and CR signals completion challenges in some cohorts.

  • Dropout trends are most pronounced in Grades 7–9 (SHS transition period and early high school years show significant dropout pressure).

  • 2019–2020 SHS dropout numbers and related challenges are linked to labor market changes and the economic downturn from COVID-19.

• Special groups and programs:

  • IP education and BARMM MADRASAH programs show promising inclusion, with ALIVE curriculum integration but data challenges persist in capturing IP enrollment and progress.

  • Multigrade and ADM (Alternative Delivery Modes) are used to improve access in remote and marginalized communities; ADM is counted within formal enrollment, ALS is non-formal/non-formal-adjacent with separate tracking.

• Policy and outcomes links:

  • Rights-based education emphasizes dignity, non-discrimination, and child participation in school governance.

  • Bullying, violence, and safeguarding are central to policy and practice, with DepEd’s Child Protection policies and annual rights-focused summits to engage civil society and learners.