DepEd QC Empower Teachers, Improve Learning with AI Integration

The Department of Education Schools Division Office of Quezon City (DepEd SDO-QC), in partnership with Microsoft and the Quezon City Local Government’s Education Affairs Unit, is harnessing the power of AI to help teachers work smarter and support students more effectively. This initiative, aligned with Presidential Digitalization Blueprint’s push for digital transformation, introduces Microsoft AI tools into the classroom, making a lasting impact on both teaching and learning.

As part of the broader initiative to integrate AI into education, the recent AI Immersion Experience and Copilot Classroom Hackathon saw over 70 teachers and ICT coordinators from Quezon City explore Microsoft 365 Copilot and other AI-powered tools designed to simplify daily tasks. This collaboration adds Microsoft AI tools to empower educators with smarter workflows, enabling them to dedicate more time to student engagement and instructional quality.

Teachers reported saving between 10 to 22.5 hours per week on lesson planning, test creation, worksheet preparation, and school communications. By reducing administrative work, educators can now dedicate more time to engaging students and enhancing the learning experience. Following the success of the pilot, plans are underway to expand the program across all 160 public schools in Quezon City.

The program also aims to improve student outcomes through tools like Reading Progress. These apps help students practice reading with instant feedback while giving teachers

valuable insights to personalize instruction. With over 420,000 students across Quezon City public schools, this tech-driven approach is helping create more focused and effective learning environments.

DepEd QC, Microsoft, and the LGU are working together to explore more options and ensure the program’s long-term sustainability, laying the groundwork for future-ready schools.

To support this rollout, DepEd QC is also building an AI training roadmap that will help educators gain essential digital skills. This includes integrating AI and digital literacy into professional development, empowering thousands of teachers to grow with the evolving tools of modern education.

Teachers across districts are already seeing results. “With the Copilot, tedious and repetitive tasks can be done efficiently, which helps me focus more on the development of teaching instructions,” said Joan Miana, School ICT Coordinator at E. Rodriguez Jr. High School. “It serves as a one-stop shop of different tools that we need in our profession.” Meanwhile, Tricia Mae C. Ramos, School ICT Coordinator at 15th Avenue Elementary School, noted that the tool “eases the burden in assessing the learner’s progress” and helps reduce time spent preparing lessons and activities.

This collaboration marks a new chapter in education for the country’s largest LGU. With continued support and close coordination among DepEd, Microsoft, and local leaders, Quezon City is setting a strong example of how AI can transform education by helping teachers save time and students achieve more.

Mayor Joy Belmonte expressed her enthusiasm for the project, saying, “We fully support efforts that help our teachers work more efficiently and engage students more effectively. This initiative is an important step toward understanding how digital tools can ease the everyday demands of teaching. By reducing routine workload, we hope to give our educators more time to focus on instruction and student growth. We look forward to seeing how this initiative can help strengthen our public schools.”

Peter Maquera, Microsoft Philippines Chief Executive, highlighted the importance of this collaboration: “At Microsoft, we believe that technology can be a powerful tool for education transformation. By partnering with DepEd QC and the Quezon City Local Government, we aim to provide educators with the resources they need to inspire and engage students. The success of this program is testament to the potential of AI to enhance educational outcomes and create a more effective learning environment.”