The World Bank announced on Saturday a $110-million project that aims to improve learning outcomes for schoolchildren in Mindanao.
Nearly two million elementary school students and over 60,000 teachers and school leaders are expected to benefit from the Teacher Effectiveness and Competencies Enhancement Project (TEACEP), which includes the provision of digital materials and physical resources, such as tablets, to students, teachers, and coaches for children in kindergarten to grade 6 (K-6).
Professional development opportunities will be given to the teachers through a comprehensive coaching and professional development program, while school leaders and supervisors will receive training to support and guide teachers.
For “last-mile schools” in remote and disadvantaged areas, the TEACEP will support the airing of radio-based instructions and TV programs and provide solar-powered transistor radios with built-in lights, which can help schools with limited access to electricity to continue instruction even during weather-induced emergencies.
The project will be implemented by the Department of Education, in collaboration with the BARMM Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education, in Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula), Region XII (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos), and BARMM.
”These regions, which have high dropout rates, below-average enrollment rates, low performance in reading and math scores, and significant indigenous populations, offer invaluable insights for national educational improvements,” the World Bank said.
According to World Bank senior economist Sachiko Kataoka, focusing educational interventions in these regions ”can have a powerful impact, providing opportunities for people and communities to improve their lives while also yielding valuable lessons for boosting the overall quality of education nationwide.”
The World Bank said that in the past decade, the Philippines has increased investments in basic education, with government spending increasing to 3.7% of GDP in 2020 from 2.3% in 2010.
”Learning outcomes, however, remained weak, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the challenge,” it said.
In response, the DepEd developed online lessons, modular-based remote learning, and TV and radio-based programs to support learning for all students including those in remote areas without internet connectivity.
Following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, the DepEd shifted its focus to learning recovery and acceleration.
”TEACEP aligns with these efforts and will contribute to the DepEd’s latest initiative, the Basic Education Report 2023, which introduces National Reading and Mathematics Programs to build foundational literacy and numeracy,” the World Bank said. —VBL, GMA Integrated News
