US to give P126 million to PH to aid basic education amid COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — The United States government will give P126 million to the Philippines to help in the implementation of the country’s basic education plan amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement on Thursday, the U.S. embassy said the US Agency for International Development (USAID) will give Filipino teachers instruction strategies and learning materials designed for both school and home learning environments.

It will also assist the Department of Education (DepEd) to develop rapid and easy-to-use assessment tools for teachers to gauge and support the literacy skills of students once they are able to return to school.

The USAID will design activities that parents or caregivers can implement at home, and also partner with the private sector and local media companies to disseminate advice on how to help children continue learning during school closures.

The U.S. government, through USAID, remains committed to ensuring young students have the opportunity to continue to learn despite the challenges that COVID-19 has created,” USAID Mission Director Lawrence Hardy said.

The US Embassy noted that over 27.7 million Filipino children and youth are at risk of significant learning loss due to school closures and disruptions due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Students in early grades are particularly vulnerable to learning loss because they need significant support from their parents, teachers, and caregivers.