Education Secretary Sonny Angara emphasized the importance of investing and prioritizing Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) during the recent World Bank Philippines Economic Update Development Dialogue.
“We need to invest more in the early years of our people to ensure that every Filipino child born today has the chance to dream, to learn, to grow, and to contribute to our nation’s progress,” Angara said.
Citing data from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) January 2024 report, the education chief said many Filipino children are not enrolled in early learning programs. Specifically, 78% of toddlers are not attending early learning initiatives, while 90% do not have access to early childhood education programs in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
In addressing the challenge, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has directed the Department of Education (DepEd), the Department of Health (DOH), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to coordinate efforts to provide Filipino children access to complete education, good health, and a nurturing environment.
“Early investments in human capital are hallmarks of a forward-looking society. We must not fall short of nurturing human capital at the onset,” the education head stressed.
“Early investments in human capital are hallmarks of a forward-looking society.”
Likewise, the Department is working closely with local government units to address disparities effectively and efficiently, recognizing that a complete and far-reaching ECCD system rests on their shoulders.
“Local governments should have the power, purse, and personnel to shape the lives of their youngest constituents.”
“Local governments should have the power, purse, and personnel to shape the lives of their youngest constituents. We’ve seen visionary mayors who got creative with their Special Education Fund (SEF). They channel resources to children’s nutrition, daycare construction, and livelihood to parents,” he noted.
For Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, the ECCD Council received a 12% increase in its budget, with about P277 million earmarked for constructing more National Child Development Centers.
In addition, the ECCD curriculum is also being realigned to ensure that Filipino children can seamlessly enter formal schooling.
