Philippine’s Educational Landscape Alignment to SDG-4: Challenges and Barriers

Closed

Rolando V. Obiedo, Richard R. Jugar, Enriqueta D. Reston

2026 Quality Education for All in Asia-Pacific Countries: Research Insights, Reflections and Initiatives on SDG 4 Book chapter Cited by 0 Quartile

Abstract

This chapter presents the evolution and current state of the Philippine educational system and examines its alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG-4) on Quality Education. Historically influenced by various colonial regimes, the Philippine education system has undergone numerous reforms to address challenges in access, quality, and governance. Among these initiatives are the K to 12 reforms, the Basic Education Development Plan (BEDP) 2022–2030, and the establishment of key educational bodies through the EDCOM 1 and 2 reports. Despite significant progress, issues such as high dropout rates, inadequate teacher training, and poor student performance in international assessments are still widely evident. The chapter also highlights the strategic efforts currently in progress as well as those that are in the pipeline to meet the SDG-4 targets, emphasizing the importance of inclusive and equitable education, improved resource allocation, curriculum development, and community involvement. Copyright © 2026 by Rolando V. Obiedo, Richard R. Jugar and Enriqueta D. Reston Published under exclusive licence by Emerald Publishing Limited

Affiliations

School of Education, University of San Carlos, Cebu City, Philippines; School of Education, University of San Carlos, Philippines; DOST-CBPSME consortium program in-charged with handling graduate program scholarships in Science and Math Education, Philippines; School of Education, University of San Carlos (USC), Cebu City, Philippines