As the School Year 2025-2026 officially commences, the Department of Education (DepEd) is gearing up to accommodate an estimated 27.6 million students in basic education despite challenges such as classroom shortages, lack of teachers, and limited learning resources.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara, together with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., will oversee the ceremonial opening of classes at Epifanio Delos Santos Elementary School in Singalong, Manila. The breakdown of projected enrollments includes 15.42 million in elementary, 8.01 million in junior high school, and 4.17 million in senior high school.

The classroom shortage, which has surpassed 165,000, remains a significant hurdle in providing quality education. To address this, DepEd is focusing on constructing 105,000 classrooms through Public-Private Partnerships, expediting infrastructure rollout, and collaborating with the Department of Public Works and Highways to build resilient school buildings.

DepEd is also addressing the shortage of 56,050 teachers expected in 2025. With 875,514 teachers currently deployed nationwide, efforts are underway to hire 16,000 new teachers by the end of the year. The department is also piloting a revised Senior High School curriculum in select schools to offer students more flexibility in choosing learning tracks.

DepEd has introduced a simplified enrollment process to reduce paperwork and costs for parents. The new policy allows parents to submit their child's birth certificate only once for the entire K to 12 education. Late enrollees may still be accommodated, and interventions are in place for catch-up learning.

Smart TVs, laptops, and textbooks have been delivered to schools ahead of the opening to enhance learning opportunities. DepEd is ramping up procurement efforts to ensure schools are equipped with necessary resources for an inclusive education system.

Despite challenges, DepEd is mobilizing communities through initiatives like Brigada Eskwela to prepare schools for the new academic year. The department is committed to addressing systemic gaps, improving infrastructure, and providing quality education to all learners.