DepEd, hoping for additional financial support from the government

The Department of Education is hoping for an increase in financial support from the government to further improve the quality of education in the Philippines. This comes after studies showed a significant gap in the funds allocated per student in the Philippines compared to other countries. According to the DepEd, the country may continue to lag in assessments of Filipino students if the government does not increase its funding for the education sector. It is noted that the results of the 2023 Program for International Student Assessment show that students are still lagging in Mathematics, Science, and Reading.

The study also found that in terms of educational spending, the Philippines spends only about USD 11,030 or just over PHP 630 per student, which is nine times lower than the average. Although the education sector receives the largest share of government funding each year, it is still insufficient according to the agency. However, the department acknowledges that the Philippines’ contribution to education is also based on the percentage of the gross domestic product that can be allocated to education.