Marcos aims to bring AI into basic education through AGAP.AI

• Photo courtesy of Presidential Communications Office.

By TechWatch PH Staff

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday formally launched the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Project Accelerating Governance and Adaptive Pedagogy through Artificial Intelligence (AGAP.AI), marking a major step toward integrating artificial intelligence into the country’s basic education system.

Speaking at the launch held at Quezon City Science High School, Marcos said AGAP.AI is designed to equip students, teachers, and parents with the skills needed to understand, use, and manage AI responsibly as the country enters what he described as a new era in education.

“This means that students will learn how AI works, teachers can learn how to integrate AI into their lessons, and parents can guide their children in using AI safely and wisely at home,” Marcos said.

Marcos noted that the program’s name, AGAP.AI—derived from the Filipino word agapay, meaning to support or bridge—reflects the government’s goal of narrowing the gap between technology and education.

He said the initiative underscores the education sector’s responsibility to ensure that AI is used confidently, ethically, and in ways that enhance learning outcomes.

The President, joined by DepEd Secretary Sonny M. Angara and Quezon City Mayor Joy G. Belmonte, also toured booths showcasing technological innovations from DepEd’s local and international partners.

During the event, the Office of the President donated two units of Starlink satellite internet service and a Smartboard interactivetouchscreen to the host school to support digital learning initiatives.

As part of AGAP.AI, DepEd is developing the Foundational Guidelines on Artificial Intelligence in Basic Education, which will serve as the country’s first national framework for the ethical and responsible use of AI in schools.

The guidelines are being shaped through consultations with students, parents, teachers, AI experts, and education partners.

With support from the ASEAN Foundation and Google.org, DepEd will roll out a national AI skills training program expected to reach up to 1.5 million Filipinos, including learners, educators, and parents.

Training modules will cover responsible AI use, misinformation detection, privacy and security, and AI literacy.

Marcos emphasized that teachers remain at the center of the program, with AI-focused training modules aimed at helping educators integrate emerging technologies into classrooms while keeping pace with rapid technological change.

DepEd will also pilot AI-powered tools and platforms to improve classroom instruction and school operations, enabling data-informed decision-making while ensuring fairness and data privacy.

Beyond policy and training, DepEd is working with global institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education, and Day of AI to embed AI concepts into the basic education curriculum.

These partnerships aim to strengthen students’ AI literacy, computational thinking, and digital innovation skills.

“All of these initiatives will ensure that AI in education prepares our institutions to keep pace with technology and that every Filipino benefits from these new tools,” the President said.