THE AUSTRALIAN government has partnered with the Philippine Business for Education to improve the quality of education in the Philippines and develop the skills of future workers through a P98.7 million support.

“Australia believes that quality education is key to a prosperous and productive nation. We have been a longstanding partner to the Philippines and strong supporter of its education reform goals. In this new phase of our partnership with PBEd, we will support the Philippines to achieve an education system that provides the skills and knowledge needed for future jobs,” Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu PSM said.

To help address skills gaps and unemployment, the Australian government and PBEd will work on four areas – senior high school curriculum improvement, industry involvement in skills development, improving teacher quality and enhancing education data collection and assessments.

PBEd and the Assessment, Curriculum and Technology Research Centre, a joint venture between Australia’s University of Melbourne and the University of the Philippines, will work together to support the plans of the Department of Education on reviewing and revising the K to 12 curriculum.

These reforms will ensure that graduates have adequate skills and are more employable.

To improve teacher quality, PBEd will support the Research Centre for Teacher Quality, a partnership between the University of New England and the Philippine Normal University, to further develop competencies of teachers and school leaders in curriculum and instruction, expand career progression for teachers, and strengthen the Teacher Education Council that looks into pre-service teacher education reforms.

“Nation-building starts with quality education. An integrated approach to education reforms, starting from elementary school, is crucial for a seamless and foundational building block for a productive future workforce. The Australian government and PBEd are collaborating to find concrete solutions towards improved learning and employability in the Philippines,” PBEd Executive Director Justine Raagas said.