USAID ABC+ PROJECT BEGINNING READING PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN SILAY
The USAID ABC+ Project’s Beginning Reading Program (BRP) was launched at Hawaiian Philippine Company Elementary School in Silay City, yesterday, spearheaded by USAID Philippines, Dept. of Education, and the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental.
The Hiligaynon and Sinugbuanong Binisaya Learning Materials were also turned over to the school, as part of the activity.
The ABC+ BRP is a technology-based learning program that will use Learn Kernel tablets or devices to deliver reading instruction to K-3 children who are struggling to read in the ABC+ implementing areas.
Negros Occ. Gov. Bong Lacson said that he is thankful that the province has been identified by the Asia Foundation and the League of the Provinces as one of the pilot areas for USAID’s ABC+ Project and as the first province to implement Education Sectoral Mechanism.
According to Gov. Lacson, the provincial government has issued an executive order creating the Technical Working Group for advancing ABC+ and Leading Partnerships and Preparation for Learning, Education and Development (LPP-LED) Project, last year, which was tasked to identify innovative and sustainable PPAs to address the challenges in early childhood.
It paved the way for several activities in the province with the Provincial Line Agencies, DepEd Negros Occ. Team, and civil society representatives in identifying the core problems of education service delivery based on access, quality and inclusive governance.
The governor thanked USAID and partners including the Negros Cultural Foundation, Negros Museum, Negros Kalipay Foundation, Negros Economic Development Foundation, Synergea Foundation, and the Negros Volunteers for Change, for their generosity and commitment.
“Two years into the pandemic and with millions of students taken away from their classrooms, the obligation to protect and promote the right of our learners to sound education at all levels, and to take appropriate steps to make such education accessible, has become all the more imperative,” he said.
Present in the activity were Ryan Washburn, Mission Director of USAID Philippines, Dr. Tom Leblanc, USAID Education Director, Dr. Pedro Escobarte, Jr., Assistant Regional Director of Deped Region VI, Ina Aquino, Chief of Party, USAID ABC + Project, Negros Occ. Schools Division Superintendent Marsette Sabbaluca, Dr. Novelyn Vilchez, Schools Division Superintendent, DepEd Silay City, and Hawaiian PhilCom Elementary School principal, Julius Ceasar Oniot, teachers and students.
