On DepEd's Slice of the Fiscal Pie: Is it Big Enough to Assuage Our Hunger for Quality Education?

On DepEd's Slice of the Fiscal Pie: Is it Big Enough to Assuage Our Hunger for Quality Education?

By Glenn Rivera

Reflection for Today (September 11, 2024)

The current issues surrounding the Department of Education's (DepEd) 2024 budget, particularly the removal of confidential funds and the slow implementation of key educational programs, underscore a deeper systemic problem in how the Philippines prioritizes education. The ?150 million initially requested for confidential funds, a highly contested allocation, was eventually stripped away following significant public and legislative scrutiny. The swift redirection of these funds to more pressing educational programs like the National Learning Recovery Program (NLRP) suggests that public pressure can work to restore rationality in the government’s priorities. But is this enough? Is education truly being treated as the highest priority it deserves in Philippine society?

Education is not just another sector in the government’s bureaucracy; it is the lifeblood of the nation’s future. The Philippine Constitution itself mandates that education be given the highest budgetary allocation, recognizing that a well-educated population is key to national development and sovereignty. Yet, the recent controversy surrounding the confidential funds raises uncomfortable questions about how seriously this mandate is taken.

Confidential funds, intended for national security purposes, were poorly justified when attached to the education sector. DepEd’s explanation, linking education to national security by molding patriotic citizens, seems to miss the mark in terms of practical and immediate needs. As the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) pointed out, the lack of essential technology, such as laptops for teachers, is a glaring failure in a world that increasingly relies on digital tools. The slow expenditure on programs like computerization is even more troubling given the significant learning losses caused by the pandemic. How can we expect to recover from such losses when resources are either underutilized or misdirected?

Moreover, the classroom repair issue adds another layer to the conversation. With ?6.5 billion initially allocated for fixing over 10,000 classrooms, the decision to slash this to ?1.5 billion by the House of Representatives is baffling. Instead of focusing on building new classrooms, which takes time and resources, repairing what already exists is a more immediate and practical solution. Yet, this logic seems lost in the budgeting process, leaving thousands of classrooms in disrepair. How can we talk about quality education when the physical spaces where learning takes place are falling apart?

This brings us to the fundamental question: Does DepEd truly get the slice of the fiscal cake it needs to fulfill its mandate? The answer is no, not when funds are being cut or misallocated to questionable areas. Education deserves not just a huge slice but the largest slice of the budget because it is the cornerstone of societal progress. In a country where millions of students lag behind in global assessments like PISA, which ranks the Philippines among the lowest in terms of reading comprehension and mathematical ability, it is clear that the government should be laser-focused on addressing these gaps.

The issues surrounding DepEd’s budget reflect a broader societal and governmental misalignment with the needs of the people. The future of the nation rests on the shoulders of our educators and students. Failing them, whether through bureaucratic inefficiency or misguided priorities, is a failure of the nation as a whole. If we are to create a society that values transparency, accountability, and good governance, education must be at the center of all our policies, and it must be fully funded and properly managed.

In a time when the government talks about nation-building, it is important to remember that this is impossible without a strong education system. DepEd doesn’t just need a large budget; it needs to be treated as the highest priority in the government’s fiscal agenda. After all, an educated populace is the foundation of a just, equitable, and democratic society. The allocation of funds must reflect that.