TACLOBAN CITY — Tingog party-list Representative Jude Acidre called on education leaders to confront long-standing challenges and sustain reforms during the 2025 Philippine Education Congress at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
Joined by DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara, Commission on Higher Education (ChEd) Chairperson Shirley Agrupis, Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Kiko Benitez, and other officials, Acidre urged the sector to reflect on the “story” they are shaping for learners, teachers, and families.
He cited persistent issues such as weak foundational skills, heavy teacher workloads, outdated facilities, and slow governance, stressing that acknowledging these realities is key to meaningful reform. At the same time, he highlighted progress in curriculum recalibration, higher education governance, and technical-vocational pathways.
Acidre described the current alignment among Congress, education agencies, LGUs, and industry partners as a rare opportunity to enact evidence-based reforms, strengthen budgets, and improve classroom outcomes.
“Let us be the generation that delivers reform,” he said, urging the sector to write a story of hope, courage, and change for every Filipino child.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
