Almost 2 million elementary students and more than 60,000 teachers and school leaders in Mindanao are expected to benefit from the recently-approved Teacher Effectiveness and Competencies Enhancement Project (TEACEP), the World Bank said. In a statement over the weekend, World Bank said the project seeks to improve the learning outcomes for children in kindergarten to grade 6 (K-6) by delivering professional development opportunities to teachers through a comprehensive coaching and professional development program. The bank will provide $110 million to support the project which will be implemented in Zamboanga Peninsula, South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). According to World Bank, these areas which have high dropout rates, below-average enrollment rates, low performance in reading and math scores, and significant indigenous populations, offer insights for educational improvements. 'Focusing educational interventions in these regions known to be among the poorest in Mindanao 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,' said World Bank senior economist Sachiko Kataoka. TEACEP will focus on enhancing literacy, numeracy, and socioemotional skills and will also prioritize peacebuilding, gender-sensitive instruction, climate and disaster resilience, and inclusive education. School leaders and supervisors will also receive training to enable them to better support and guide teachers in their instructional practices. TEACEP will also support the provision of tablets to students, teachers, and coaches. For 'last-mile schools' in remote and disadvantaged areas, the project will support the airing of radio-based instructions and television programs and provide solar-powered transistor radios with built-in lights which can help schools with limited access to electricity continue instruction even during weather-induced emergencies. World Bank country director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand Ndiamé Diop said TEACEP is part of the World Bank's continuing support to boost human capital in the Philippines. 'Education is a key driver of development, as it equips people with the knowledge and skills they need to participate in the workforce, contribute to the economy, and improve their standard of living,' Diop said.
Source: Philippines News Agency
