The Department of Education (DepEd) is leveraging artificial intelligence to ensure its ₱1-billion literacy investment is directed toward students in the most underserved and low-performing areas across the country.
Through a newly developed AI-powered resource allocation tool, the agency aims to improve the placement of Library Hubs by replacing traditional planning methods with data-driven analysis focused on actual learning gaps.
The initiative is being led by the Education Center for AI Research (ECAIR), DepEd’s innovation arm. The system analyzes school performance data to identify areas with the lowest reading proficiency, which will serve as the basis for locating new Library Hubs under the 2026 Basic Education Facilities Fund.
The AI model prioritizes three main factors: learning needs, expected utilization of resources, and equity to ensure that remote and marginalized schools are included in the rollout.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the shift reflects a broader push toward evidence-based policymaking in the education sector.
“Data-driven policymaking is central to the education reforms we envision. Initiatives like this demonstrate how data science can help DepEd make smarter investments, ensuring that resources reach the schools and learners that need them the most,” Angara stated.
Meanwhile, Education Undersecretary for Learning Systems Strand Carmela Oracion emphasized that integrating data analytics into planning will improve how educational investments are allocated across schools.
“By working with ECAIR to incorporate data into planning and prioritization, we can ensure that our investments better support learners in our schools,” she said.
Library Hubs serve as centralized “warehouse libraries” that distribute supplementary reading materials to schools. They allow teachers to borrow books in bulk, extend usage for 25 to 30 days for classroom integration, and rotate materials among schools to maximize access to learning resources.
By integrating AI into its planning process, DepEd aims to close literacy gaps more efficiently and maximize the impact of its ₱1-billion investment in reading programs nationwide.