DepEd gets 15% budget increase for 2012

(PRESS RELEASE)

The Department of Education is gratified and challenged by the priority and confidence given to its programs and projects by the President, Congress, and the people, as embodied in the recently enacted 2012 budget. 

Congress has increased DepEd budget from P207 billion in 2011 to P238.8 billion in 2012.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said DepEd is gearing up to prepare the Philippine educational system for the eventual roll out of the K to 12 program as Congress approved a 15% hike in its 2012 budget. 

“DepEd intends to address the current requirements and shortages in the next two years so that it can focus its resources in latter years towards addressing the significant resource requirements for the full implementation of K to 12 in 2016,” Luistro added.

Luistro explained that while the requirements to meet the challenges in education are huge, the 15% increase in the 2012 budget sustains the Aquino government’s continuing commitment to do more to improve the quality of learning in Philippine schools, and prepare the youth for a better future. 

The increased budget will allow DepEd to build more classrooms and hire additional teachers, among other critical needs.

DepEd Undersecretary for Finance and Administration Francisco Varela said the DepEd will work on the prompt delivery of its education programs and projects while improving mechanisms to ensure that scarce public resources are efficiently utilized in a manner that conforms to high standards of governance and transparency.