THE WORLD Bank approved a USD600-million program to improve literacy, numeracy and math outcomes in Philippine public primary and lower secondary schools.

Called Project for Learning Upgrade Support and Decentralization (PLUS-D), it will be implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd) and benefit 21 million K–10 and Alternative Learning System learners, along with 777,000 teachers.

It will also support 59,000 school leaders and 300 DepEd staff through capacity-building.

“For the Philippines, sustaining growth and creating more jobs will depend on strong human capital — a workforce with solid foundational skills in literacy and numeracy,” Zafer Mustafaoğlu, World Bank Division Director for the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, said in a statement.

“This effort is about giving every Filipino child a fair start, ensuring they can build the skills that underpin lifelong learning and future success in the labor market.”

The World Bank said PLUS-D will provide nationwide support to help K–10 learners catch up and excel in literacy and numeracy.

It will also back DepEd’s learning recovery program and improve classroom assessments.

The project will also strengthen teaching and leadership through evidence-based training and coaching; expand access to inclusive teaching–learning materials including accessible resources for learners with disabilities and support for Indigenous Peoples learners; and advance DepEd’s digitalization and decentralization programs.

The loan will fund grants and tailored support for 10 DepEd regional offices and over 11,100 schools to improve elementary and lower secondary education under decentralized systems aligned with DepEd’s 5-Point Reform agenda.

“PLUS-D is about combating learning poverty nationwide by equipping teachers with evidence-based support, promoting school autonomy and accountability, and helping Filipino learners become independent, confident readers. We have seen this work in countries around the world, and the Philippines will be no exception. Help is on the way,” said Janssen Edelweiss Teixeira, World Bank Senior Education Specialist and Project Leader. (PNA)