Policy and Research Program (PRP) aims to strengthen evidencebased decision-making through the oversight, promotion, and conduct of policy development, research, and sector monitoring and evaluation.

The Policy and Research Program supports activities under three key result areas:

1. Policy Development
2. Research Management
3. Sector Monitoring and Evaluation

The Policy and Research Program includes the Basic Education Research Fund (BERF), a funding mechanism for DepEd researchers which is managed by the region. DepEd personnel may avail of this grant if they are qualified based on the issued guidelines (DO 16, s. 2017).

Beneficiaries. Decision-makers and policymakers together with their technical staff will be the direct beneficiaries of the Policy and Research Program, capacitating them to develop, review, and analyze policies; manage, conduct, and utilize research; conduct M&E and utilize its results. Setting up standards on policy development, research management, and sector M&E will also ensure the efficient implementation of various programs and policies of the Department. For BERF, DepEd personnel from the schools up to the national office who are qualified for the grant will be its direct beneficiaries.

Based on the previous implementation of this program, there were 652 and 1,543 completed education researches conducted in all regions for FY 2018 and FY 2019 respectively.

For FY 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the school year opened on October 5, 2020. BERF grantees also started their research studies during the first quarter of the school year. They also reviewed their research methodologies to align them with the distance learning modalities and the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP). Most of the BERFfunded research studies are ongoing and will be completed in 2021. Below is the table of completed research studies and the table of education research targets, ongoing, and completed by region: