The Department of Education (DepEd) is moving toward hyper-local, data-driven planning with a new mapping system that tracks learning outcomes down to the barangay level, aiming to identify and address gaps with greater precision.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the initiative marks a shift from broad regional assessments to granular insights that can guide the targeted allocation of resources such as classrooms, teachers, and learning materials to communities most in need.
The strategy draws from a study by University of the Philippines student Timothy Hormigos, who used 2020 census data from the Philippine Statistics Authority to map educational outcomes among individuals aged 25 and above. The findings revealed stark disparities within cities and municipalities, often linked to geographic isolation and limited road access.
“Hindi pwedeng hulaan ang problema, kailangang makita natin ito, hanggang sa antas ng barangay (We cannot guess the problem; we must see it down to the barangay level),” Angara said.
To operationalize the system, Angara tasked the Education Futures Office (EFO) and the Information and Communications Technology Service (ICTS) to work with Hormigos in integrating DepEd data into interactive geospatial maps accessible to policymakers and the public.
The initiative will complement DepEd’s “Project Bukas” and its broader push for open-data transparency. Further discussions are expected to refine the model by addressing technical gaps, including migration trends, population density, and access to more detailed PSA datasets.
Angara said the effort reflects a broader shift in planning—from generalized national metrics to evidence-based interventions tailored to the specific needs of communities.