- President Marcos Jr. issues AO No. 36 creating the Education and Workforce Development Group (EWDG) to address gaps in the Philippine education system.
- EWDG tasked to draft a 10-year National Education & Workforce Development Plan, align policies, and coordinate among education and labor agencies.
- Chaired by the President with DepEd & DOLE leaders, the group will provide monthly reports and oversee reforms to build a coherent, integrated education framework.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. issued Administrative Order No. 36 creating the Education and Workforce Development Group (EWDG) to act on problems facing the Philippine education system, such as inadequate teacher support and irregular policies.
"A coordinating mechanism among education and workforce development agencies needs to be created effectively to address long-term issues in the education sector, and develop a comprehensive, sufficient, and integrated education system in the nation", said the President's order.
The order referenced the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) report, which identifies issues like fragmented education program implementation, misaligned teacher development activities, and incoherent education plans and policies.
AO No. 36, released on August 13, 2025, also requires the EWDG to be the main coordinating agency of all matters related to education and workforce development in the Philippines. EWDG has a number of responsibilities that include developing a 10-year National Education and Workforce Development Plan (NEWDP), assessing current inter-agency organizations covering education and workforce development, and reviewing the existing legal and policy environment regulating these sectors.
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EWDG is mandated to provide monthly performance reports to the Executive Secretary and the President, and can establish technical working groups to facilitate its efforts. The President will be the chairman of the group, while the co-chairperson will be the Secretary of Education, and the vice-chairperson will be the Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
Members of the EWDG include the Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Secretaries of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), and the Director General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
