NEWS RELEASE 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗘𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝟭𝟬-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽 𝗮𝘁 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

BUTUAN CITY, February 4, 2026— 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗘𝗱) 𝘂𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 (𝗕𝗘𝗔) 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱–𝟮𝟬𝟯𝟱 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗟𝗔𝗕 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗽𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆’𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺, 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲.

More than 600 participants, composed of top officials from DepEd Central, Regional, and Division Offices, including planning officers, researchers, education program supervisors, and chiefs, attended the national gathering. The activity was spearheaded by the DepEd Central Office, in coordination with the DepEd Caraga Regional Office and the Division Offices of Agusan del Norte and Butuan City.

𝗔 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱‑𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺. Basillote’s presentation positions assessment as a driver of better learning and evidence‑informed policymaking. The roadmap is anchored on findings from EdCom II, extensive consultations, and comparative research, and it envisions a coherent, sustainable assessment architecture that supports a culture where assessment improves teaching and learning.

The three-phase plan includes:

1. Building a Bureau of Education Assessment capable of regularly developing, delivering, and analyzing fit‑for‑purpose system assessments and conducting educational research. Key actions include streamlining the assessment landscape, aligning national tests with the K–12 curriculum, modernizing test administration (including computer‑based testing), regular reporting of results, expanding BEA staffing and training, and establishing research partnerships.

2. Ensuring reform continuity and modernization across administrations by decentralizing aspects of test administration with strong BEA quality assurance; transitioning from computer‑based to computer‑adaptive testing, continuing training and research partnerships; creating a BEA Communications, Outreach & MEL unit; and conducting a feasibility study for an independent assessment agency.

3. Establishing a world‑class learning assessment system powered by advanced technologies (including AI‑supported item development, marking, and analysis) that commands high public trust and is tightly integrated into education governance and national planning.

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. The presentation highlighted current challenges in the assessment ecosystem (such as the proliferation of largely low‑stakes national assessments, thin alignment with curriculum, limited capacity, and the absence of longitudinal learner tracking) that have not translated into meaningful teaching and policy reforms. The roadmap seeks to clarify roles, improve test quality (validity and reliability), and ensure assessments both certify learning and support selection where appropriate.

A proposed National Assessment Architecture places BEA’s system‑level assessments at the core, with decentralized, demand‑driven assessments at regional, division, and school levels (where local units are responsible and accountable while BEA provides consultation and oversight). A National Basic Education Assessment Framework (NBEAF) and a Governance Board will guide test blueprints, regularize administration, and keep instruments psychometrically sound and comparable across time and settings.

𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴. To raise efficiency and integrity, BEA will move from paper‑and‑pencil to computer‑based testing, strengthen item‑writing and psychometric capabilities, and expand test administration capacity through online training and updated testing‑center requirements, including the use of SUCs/HEIs as NAT/KSA venues where appropriate. Over time, the system will develop secure item banks, enable computer‑adaptive testing, and explore outsourcing elements of test administration to improve scale and cost‑effectiveness.

The plan emphasizes research and partnerships (including a National Educational Assessment Research Agenda, collaborations with PIDS and Teacher Education Institutions) participation in GPE’s ANLAS review, and new international partnerships, to ensure continuous improvement and global benchmarking. It also commits to sustained engagement with International Large‑Scale Student Assessments (ILSAs) to inform policy and strengthen national instruments.

𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰. A central pillar of the roadmap is translating assessment data into actionable insights for planning at all levels of the system. Clear communications, transparent reporting, and improved data use are intended to raise public confidence in the validity and reliability of assessments, and, ultimately, in the quality of the K–12 diploma.

Basillote underscored that the roadmap’s success depends on sustained leadership commitment and alignment with other reform initiatives, noting that the strategy is designed for ongoing review and refinement to respond to system needs and emerging evidence.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁. The 2025 National Planning Conference runs from February 3 to 5, 2026, is spearheaded by the DepEd Central Office, in coordination with DepEd Caraga Regional Office and the Division Offices of Agusan del Norte and Butuan City.

By: Public Affairs Unit

DepEd Caraga

NB. The title “2025 National Planning Conference” has been retained despite the activity being held in 2026. The conference was originally scheduled for implementation in 2025; however, it was postponed due to adverse weather conditions. Keeping the original title preserves the integrity of the 2025 planning cycle and maintains alignment with the preparatory documents and communications already issued for that year.

For more information, contact (085) 221-1151, 0961-737-0873, or 0915-808-4734. Website: www.caraga.deped.gov.ph; email: caraga@deped.gov.ph; pau_caraga@deped.gov.ph.

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