The US government will be releasing an additional P485 million or 9 million US dollars in funding to help the Philippines expand the Advancing Basic Education (ABC+) program, which is its initiative in the country to improve Filipino children's literacy and math skills.
With the additional budget, the project, which now has a total funding of P2.6 billion, will extend its reach to new regions, such as the National Capital Region (NCR), Region IV-B, Cordillera Administrative Region, and Region XII.
The additional funding will provide 900,000 new books and learning materials that will benefit around 350,000 students, bringing the total number of students to be reached by the project to 2.8 million.
“We are focusing on strengthening students' foundational skills, especially for those students who are struggling with reading. Just as with learning to read, we are taking a team approach—advancing step by step, word by word, teacher by teacher, student by student, to open possibilities for Filipino youth,” US Ambassador in Manila MaryKay Carlson said.
"The United States is committed to working with the Philippines to provide a quality education that empowers children to enjoy a successful future," she added.
The ABC+ project aims to build on its successful track record in the new regions.
Through this project, USAID has provided over 43,000 educators with early literacy training certified by the National Educators Academy of the Philippines; created and distributed 33.2 million early grade literacy materials; and supported students in Regions V, VI, and select areas in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Since 2019, USAID has been working with DepEd through the ABC+ project to strengthen teacher professional development, improve the availability and use of learning resources, bolster the capacity of the education system, and support effective early grade instruction.