“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.”
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. thus led on Friday the launching of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Project Accelerating Governance and Adaptive Pedagogy through Artificial Intelligence (AGAP.AI) that aims to integrate AI use and training in basic education.
“As we hit the ground running in 2026, once again, we start a new era in our educational system and in the way that we train our young people,” President Marcos said during the launching held at the Quezon City Science High School.
President Marcos said the project is appropriately named AGAP.AI (“agapay”), which means “to support” or “to bridge.”
“This is what we are trying to do today: standing next to our people and bridging the gap between technology and education,” the President said.
President Marcos, together with DepEd Secretary Sonny M. Angara and Quezon City Mayor Joy G. Belmonte, toured the booths of DepEd’s local and international partner organizations on technological innovation.
The Office of the President donated two units of Starlink satellite internet service and one unit of Smartboard interactive touchscreen to Quezon City Science High School.
The Chief Executive said the education sector now has the responsibility to ensure that students use AI confidently and ethically, enabling them to stay ahead in their learning journey.
DepEd– through consultations with students, parents, teachers, AI experts, and education partners– is developing the Foundational Guidelines on Artificial Intelligence in Basic Education that will serve as the first national framework for the ethical and responsible use of AI in schools.
With the support of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foundation and Google.org, DepEd will roll out a national AI skills training program that will reach up to 1.5 million Filipinos, including learners, teachers, and parents, the President said.
These training courses will cover relevant topics, including responsible use, detecting misinformation, privacy and security, and AI literacy.
“We are also investing heavily in our teachers. Through AI-focused training modules, educators will be equipped to teach AI responsibly and creatively, whilst at the same time keeping up with the developing new technologies as they come down the pipeline,” President Marcos added.
Furthermore, the DepEd will pilot emerging AI-powered tools and platforms to enhance classroom instruction and school operations, the President said. These tools will also help the education system make smarter decisions while upholding fairness and data privacy.
Beyond policy and training, DepEd also engages with local and international partners to bring AI into the heart of learning.
DepEd is closely working with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), MIT Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education, and Day of AI to integrate AI concepts into the basic education curriculum, which will strengthen learners’ AI literacy, computational thinking, and digital innovation skills, President Marcos said.
“All of these initiatives will ensure that AI in education prepares our institutions to keep pace with technology and that every Filipino benefits from those new technologies,” the President sai
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