Makati City Mayor and senatorial candidate Abby Binay called on the education sector to focus more on developing students’ basic literacy and numeracy skills in the early years to improve the quality of education in the country.
In recent media interviews, Binay said that improving early childhood education will allow students to cope with more complex knowledge and skills as they move up the education ladder.
Binay emphasized the importance of Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD), stressing that a strong foundation is key to effective learning.
“Kailangan po talaga nating tutukan yung ECCD, kasama dito yung daycare. Kasi ang paniniwala po natin ay ‘foundation is key.’ Kung hindi po maganda ang foundation, kahit ano pang bridging na gagawin ninyo bandang dulo na—Grade 5, Grade 6—medyo too late na (We must focus on ECCD starting from daycare. We believe that ‘foundation is key.’ Efforts to bridge the learning gap by Grade 5 or Grade 6 might already be too late),” she said.
She said students should develop basic skills in reading, math, and science from preschool to Grade 3 to help them with essential skills, such as reading comprehension, knowledge of basic mathematical concepts, and the fundamentals of science.
As an example, Binay mentioned the K-12 program, which aims to equip senior high school graduates with skills for employment after graduation.
“Ang tanong, noong K-10, maganda ba yung foundation nila para maging employable sila pagkatapos ng senior high? Hindi puwedeng papasukan mo ng skills sa senior high, tapos yung foundation nila like basic English and basic numeracy—kung hindi maganda, mahihirapan silang makapasok sa trabaho (The question is, during K-10, did they have a strong foundation to be employable after senior high? You can't just introduce skills in senior high if their foundation, like basic English and numeracy, is weak; they will just struggle to find jobs),” she explained.
She also emphasized the need to address learning gaps by Grade 3 to prevent students from falling behind.
“Poor literacy and numeracy levels should already be addressed in Grade 3 through appropriate interventions. Otherwise, many students will be left behind, unable to keep up with more advanced lessons. They may even drop out eventually,” the mayor said.
As Makati mayor, her administration strengthened ECCD through innovative programs, including the Pre-Kindergarten initiative for four- to five-year-old learners not yet eligible for kindergarten. With a pre-K kit and complete set of modules, kids learn basic social skills, hygiene, and foundational skills to help them excel in kindergarten.
In 2023, the city also launched Project FEED (Food for Excellent Education and Development), which provides nutritious and tasty snacks and beverages to over 42,000 public elementary school students on school days.
The city also implements Project MILES (Mathematics Intensive Learning Enhancement for Students) to improve math skills among Grade 1 to 10 students. It has since invested millions annually in “Koobits,” a Singaporean math software program, and covers the honoraria of teachers facilitating the program.
The local government said STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) graduates are in high demand globally and have better opportunities for high-paying jobs. To encourage more students to pursue STEM, they have been providing a P1,500 monthly stipend since 2024 to qualified students in the Special Science and Math Curriculum at selected public elementary and high schools.