Philippines

Contact //Tel: +61 2 6178 4000
Fax: +61 2 6178 4880 // Post: GPO Box 887, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia

Promoting opportunities for all

Overview

Young children from the B’laan tribe in Mindanao learn how to read and write in a community learning centre built with support from Australian aid. Australia has helped increase the access of Filipino school children to quality basic education.

Education is the flagship of Australia’s program of development cooperation with the Philippines. Australia is the lead bilateral grant donor in basic education, contributing over $30 million annually.

Basic education in the Philippines is facing a crisis: education outcomes are poor and enrolment and retention rates are stagnant. The Government of the Philippines has signalled its commitment to addressing this challenge.

Australia welcomes the government’s efforts to provide a pathway out of poverty by increasing investment in education and focusing on the delivery of quality education. The Australian and Philippines Governments are working in partnership to address the enormous challenges associated with fixing an education system under stress, while continuing to implement vital reforms.

An important reform includes the transition from the current ten year school cycle to the twelve year international standard school cycle.

Priorities

Development, production and distribution of innovative teaching and learning materials.
Curriculum development and assessment methods.
Classroom construction.
Supporting the education of economically and socially disadvantaged groups including Muslim and indigenous peoples.
Teacher and education management capacity building (post graduate scholarships and customised short term training).
Strengthening education governance - development of education management and information systems and innovative business models.

Strategic goal: Promoting opportunities for all

Initiative	Partners	AusAID funding 2011–12	Total initiative funding and duration	Initative description
Basic Education Sector Reform - Support for Philippine Basic Education Reforms (BESR SPHERE)	Government of the Philippines, Department of Education, World Bank	$0.5 million	$51.5 million (2007-2014)	To support the Department of Education's implementation of basic education reforms, addressing issues of equity and quality in service delivery.	More
Philippines Response to Muslim and Indigenous People’s Education (PRIME)	Government of the Philippines, Department of Education, GRM	$5.25 million	$20 million (2011-2014)	To improve access to a quality education and better learning outcomes for disadvantaged Indigenous peoples and Muslim communities by providing funding grants for the development of learning materials, training of teachers and adaptations to the curriculum to make it more relevant to Muslim and indigenous children.	More
Philippines Social Protection Initiative	Government of the Philippines, Department of Social Welfare and Development	$1 million	$6.8 million (2009-2015)	To support the Philippines Government's social protection reform agenda, through initiatives such as cash transfer programs and providing technical assistance for social protection programs.	More
Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao	Government of Philippines, Department of Education, UNICEF	$14.25 million	$89.6 million (2011-2015)	To contribute to the alleviation of poverty in ARMM and in the longer term, to the emergence of a sustainable peace through closely targeted investments in basic education that prepare ARMM to engage productively with economic opportunities as they arise.	More

Last reviewed: 26 July, 2012