- DepEd proposes '4+1' blended learning model to reduce classroom overcrowding, combining four in-person days with one online day per week.
- Multi-pronged strategy to address 165,000-classroom deficit, including conventional construction, PPP projects, pre-fabricated modular spaces, and private sector support.
- National and local governments collaborate, with mayors empowered to prioritize school building projects and fast-track classroom availability.
The Department of Education is exploring a new approach to ease the country’s long-standing classroom shortage by introducing a '4+1' blended learning model, where students would attend in-person classes for four days and shift to online learning for one day each week. The proposal aims to reduce overcrowding in schools while the government works to accelerate classroom construction.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara highlighted the initiative during the 2026 General Assembly of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines in Pasay City, calling on more than 1,300 municipal mayors to join forces with the national government in tackling the pressing issue. “We are no longer content with the old system. We are changing the way we deliver education to make it faster, more efficient, more effective, and more transparent”,Angara said. He stressed that local governments are vital partners in ensuring that funds allocated for school infrastructure translate into tangible classrooms that students can use.
The classroom deficit remains a significant challenge, with an estimated 165,000 classrooms still needed across the country. To address this, the DepEd is pursuing a multi-pronged approach. Conventional classroom construction is expected to yield 30,000 new classrooms by 2028, while high-congestion areas will benefit from 16,000 additional classrooms through Public-Private Partnerships under the PPP for School Infrastructure Project Phase III.
Beyond construction, the department is considering expanding the primary-level voucher program, which would allow more students to enroll in private schools, thereby helping to relieve pressure on public classrooms. Officials are also studying opportunities to lease or acquire foreclosed private properties, which could be converted into roughly 1,000 classrooms. At the same time, the private sector is being encouraged to support the establishment of 2,000 additional learning spaces.
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The 2026 General Appropriations Act has granted local government units the authority to serve as primary implementers of school building projects, working alongside the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Armed Forces of the Philippines Corps of Engineers. This shift allows mayors to identify priority sites for construction or repairs, speeding up implementation and ensuring that resources reach areas that need them most.
To further accelerate classroom availability, the DepEd is promoting the use of pre-fabricated Learning Continuity Spaces modular, cost-effective classrooms that can be quickly installed. Pilot programs in Masbate and Davao del Norte have shown the model’s potential, and 2,571 units are set to be installed this year in over 1,000 municipalities nationwide.
During the assembly, the DepEd and the League of Municipalities signed a memorandum of understanding to fast-track classroom construction, signaling a collaborative effort between the national government and local authorities. With these combined strategies, officials hope to provide learners with safer, less crowded environments while the country works toward a long-term solution for its educational infrastructure challenges.
This approach reflects a broader vision of education as a shared responsibility, with national and local governments, private partners, and communities working together to ensure that students have the classrooms and learning spaces they need to thrive.
