Only one out of every four Filipino students who enter first grade will complete a tertiary degree — a harsh reality for many youths who lack the financial means to pursue higher education. PHINMA Education, a private educational organization, is working to change this by offering educational courses from college to university level at subsidized rates through its twelve educational institutions in the Philippines and Indonesia. To date, PHINMA Education has helped over 144,000 students and offers more than 110 programs across its network of schools. Many students enrolled in these institutions are the first in their families to achieve a tertiary education, whether that be a degree or a diploma.Aiming to streamline its IT infrastructure, PHINMA Education partnered with Lenovo to consolidate all its devices across its institutions into a unified ecosystem. This collaboration equips staff with advanced devices and software, creating engaging and effective learning environments through personalized learning and access to digital content.
Simplifying Management
A key challenge PHINMA Education faced was the use of multiple technology brands for its endpoint computing devices. This made IT management complicated, resulting in inconsistent and incompatible support across campuses. To streamline operations, PHINMA Education sought to consolidate its technology with a single partner to facilitate quicker decision-making, reduce operational costs, and simplify data migration to the cloud.
Laying the Bedrock for Educational Initiatives
Focused on equipping graduates with essential skills to thrive in the workforce, PHINMA Education implemented the Lenovo EdVision program. With this program, teachers can effectively integrate technology into their teaching practices and create curricula that leverage digital tools for enhanced learning. Together with Lenovo’s Device as a Service (DaaS) offering, it supports PHINMA Education in optimizing resource allocation and minimizing downtime.
With Lenovo managing its IT infrastructure, PHINMA Education can focus on enhancing its educational delivery, providing top-notch education to its students using the latest technologies and advanced teaching methods.
Bringing This Partnership Further
In just two years, PHINMA Education acquired about 2,000 devices, with plans for an additional 1,000 by 2025. Future developments include integrating Lenovo’s TruScale Device as a Service and Managed Services for a consistent, reliable supply of quality devices and always-on IT support to better support PHINMA’s education mission.
With support from Lenovo, PHINMA Education will continue empowering youths from low-income families to break the cycle of poverty as it expands its reach throughout Southeast Asia.
February 2025, PHILIPPINES – The demand for lifelong learning opportunities in the Philippines is rapidly increasing. However, meeting this demand requires appropriate technology and infrastructure, according to the 2025 State of Higher Education — Philippines report.
The report found that 83% of educators in the country consider lifelong learning a strategic priority for their institutions, highlighting its growing importance in today’s fast-evolving world.Despite the strong commitment to lifelong learning, the Instructure report found that 93% of surveyed educators agreed that increased support, along with the right technology and infrastructure, would significantly ease the implementation of lifelong learning initiatives.
The report, which surveyed 107 educators from higher education institutions and 312 students, was conducted by Times Higher Education and Instructure, the leading learning ecosystem and maker of Canvas, the learning management system (LMS) used by top-ranked universities worldwide and leading local universities, such as De La Salle University, University of Santo Tomas, and Ateneo de Manila University.
“The growing focus on lifelong learning is a direct response to the fast pace of change in both the job market and technology. This shift is crucial in ensuring students are equipped with the necessary skills to thrive throughout their careers,” said Harrison Kelly, Managing Director for APAC at Instructure. “We are seeing a demand for adaptable learning paths that align with the needs of working professionals, and educational institutions must evolve to meet these demands.”
The report also revealed that 80% of students believe their current course will improve their future earning potential, with 88% of educators and students confident that higher education equips students with the skills needed for employment.
Technology’s Role in Supporting Lifelong Learning
With 83% of institutions supporting students in non-traditional learning environments, and educators recognizing lifelong learning as a strategic priority, hybrid learning models, blending face-to-face and online education are becoming more prevalent to accommodate diverse learning needs.
The report found that while 66% of students still favor face-to-face learning, nearly half (42%) are leaning toward hybrid models, reflecting a demand for flexibility. However, for hybrid learning to be effective, investment in digital infrastructure is crucial to ensure learning remains accessible and resilient to disruptions, such as natural disasters and other environmental or social challenges. The report also highlights the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, with 71% of educators using AI to create learning materials, 65% leveraging it for designing quizzes and assignments, and 56% incorporating AI to personalize learning experiences.
Students also embrace AI tools, with 81% believing AI can help them save time. They primarily use AI for text generation (63%), translating text (58%), enhancing and editing their writing (62%), helping explain concepts they don't fully understand (55%), and summarizing relevant articles (52%).
“As the focus on developing a skills-first culture, supported by a lifelong learning approach and ethical use of AI in education, continues to grow, we can expect Philippine institutions to adopt more flexible, technology-driven approaches that meet the evolving needs of both educators and students, turning learning into opportunities at any stage of their lives,” Kelly said.
Policy initiatives supporting lifelong learning
Senator Joel Villanueva has echoed the need for systemic support for lifelong learning in a recent push for Senate Bill No. 2960, or the Lifelong Learning Development Framework Act, which aims to foster a culture of continuous learning among Filipinos. The bill proposes the creation of "Learning Cities" and "Learning Municipalities" to empower local governments to develop tailored educational programs. It also seeks to enhance micro-credentialing initiatives and strengthen the Philippine Credit Transfer System (PCTS) to ensure that various learning pathways are recognized and valued.
As the Philippines continues to adapt to the demands of the 21st century, its focus on lifelong learning and flexible education pathways promises to empower students and educators alike, equipping them with the tools to thrive in a rapidly changing world of work.
To learn more and access the full report here.
Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart), the wireless unit of PLDT Inc. (PLDT), has collaborated with the Department of Education (DepEd) to provide access to learners across the country as they log in to digital classrooms. Building on its long-time partnership with the DepEd, Smart supports the agency’s efforts to improve the country’s basic education as it taps Khan Academy, a nonprofit organization that offers free, world-class education, to provide an online platform for learning.
“Smart has always advocated for the right of every Filipino child to quality education. As fellow champions of inclusive and equitable education for all, we fully support the DepEd and Khan Academy in embarking on a journey to strengthen the literacy, numeracy, and creative thinking of Filipino students,” said Kristine A. Go, Senior Vice President for Wireless Consumer Business at Smart.
This landmark partnership provides free, localized curricular content on the Khan Academy platform and offers Smart subscribers complimentary data access to these resources. Effective immediately, Smart prepaid users receive up to 5GB per week, while postpaid subscribers enjoy up to 10GB per month of free access to Khan Academy.
Emphasizing the initiative's significance, Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said: “This partnership is a pivotal step toward integrating technology into our education system, ensuring that quality learning materials are accessible to all Filipino students and teachers, regardless of their location.”
The exclusive data bundles are complemented by Smart’s robust 5G infrastructure. Smart’s mobile network covers 97 percent of the country’s population. The telco has ramped up network rollout and enhancement initiatives to deliver unmatched customer satisfaction through superior connectivity, accelerating business growth while reinforcing our dedication to nation-building, driving progress, and shaping the country’s digital future.
Smart's innovative mobile products and services also contribute to the PLDT Group’s endeavors to narrow the digital divide, provide connectivity to all, and achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) particularly SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure. These also reinforce the Group’s support for the Government's overall digitalization thrust.
PLDT and Smart leverage technology to bridge learning gaps, especially in hard-to-reach communities. The PLDT Group’s School-in-a-Bag is a portable digital classroom that allows learning in last-mile schools.
The DepEd has, likewise, adopted the PLDT and Smart-backed Central Visayan Institute Foundation Dynamic Learning Program (CVIF-DLP) to stave learning loss in communities that have been impacted by disruptive events like natural calamities and armed conflict.
The PLDT Group’s education initiatives underscore the use of Information and Communications Technology, content, pedagogy, and capacity building to ensure that there is #NoLearnerLeftBehind and its commitment to attaining the UNSDG 4 on Quality Education
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