JAPAN AND ADB PARTNER TO SUPPORT DEPED’S ECE PROGRAM

The Philippine Department of Education gains an additional boost in its K to 12 program, particularly on the institutionalization of Kindergarten, as ADB announced on March 23 the approval of a $1.5 million grant from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction.

The grant will support a private-public partnership between the DepEd and the Aklat, Gabay, Aruga Tungo sa Pag-angat at Pag-asa (AGAPP) Foundation on an early childhood education project. The ECE project aims to build fully equipped preschool classrooms and libraries in impoverished areas in Southern Luzon, and in western and central Visayas. In addition, the project aims to train preschool teachers, and conduct research on effective preschool programs. Around 6,000 pre-school children are expected to benefit from the said project.

SEAMEO INNOTECH, through its manager for Educational Research and Innovation Office, Mr. Philip J. Purnell, has provided technical assistance to ADB during the project design development and grant preparation phases. The Center’s assistance included participation in a fact-finding mission, preparation of project documents, and provision of technical inputs during ADB’s internal project review processes.