William Cope
Wei Liu
Pinakini Shah
Greg Jack
Leah Goldberg
Nell C Rundle
Bahar AnahmiasNew Learning MOOC’s Updates
Education and Nation-Building in the 2025 Philippine Policy Context
A relevant example of contemporary political rhetoric is found in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA), where he emphasized that “Education is the foundation of nation-building” and highlighted government efforts to reform the basic education curriculum, enhance teacher training, and promote digital literacy. The statement sets a clear social objective — to develop globally competitive and future-ready Filipino learners.
However, while the rhetoric is inspiring, its substance remains limited. The speech did not fully address persistent systemic issues such as classroom shortages, underpaid teachers, and unequal access to quality education. The vision is ambitious, but without concrete implementation plans and measurable outcomes, it risks being more symbolic than transformative.
For such rhetoric to be meaningful, it must be backed by sustainable funding, accountability, and inclusivity, ensuring that every Filipino learner benefits — not just those in well-resourced areas.
I really appreciate how you highlighted the gap between the rhetoric and the reality of education reform. The idea that “education is the foundation of nation-building” is powerful, but as you point out, it can feel hollow without clear plans for addressing long-standing issues like teacher welfare and classroom shortages. Your reflection made me think about how often political speeches emphasize modernization and competitiveness while overlooking equity and inclusion.
do you think these reforms could still make a difference if local governments or schools take more initiative, even when national policies fall short?