The Iloilo Provincial Government is strengthening its drive to ensure every Ilonggo child learns to read by tapping the expertise of a national education body known for advancing teacher development and educational quality across the country.
The province recently welcomed Dr. Rhodora Angela F. Ferrer, executive director of the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC), and her team to explore strategic collaboration in support of the flagship BES BASA: POC Localized Reading Program, an initiative designed to improve literacy outcomes among Ilonggo learners.
Discussions focused on teacher capacity-building, training school leaders in instructional leadership, strengthening quality assurance mechanisms, and encouraging greater private sector engagement to sustain literacy interventions across the province.
Fajardo said the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that every Ilonggo learner acquires the reading competencies needed to succeed in school and beyond.
"The engagement marked a rare and significant opportunity for leaders from both the public and private education sectors to come together with a shared commitment to address the pressing challenge of poor literacy outcomes in the Province of Iloilo," said Provincial Education and Management Office chief Maria Alfreda Fajardo.
PEAC, the trustee of the Fund for Assistance to Private Education (FAPE) since 1968, administers government education assistance programs and conducts nationwide in-service training for junior and senior high school teachers and school administrators and is accredited by the Professional Regulation Commission as a continuing professional development provider.
The province hopes to leverage PEAC's expertise, particularly in teacher training and instructional improvement, to further strengthen the implementation of BES BASA and deliver lasting gains in reading proficiency among Ilonggo learners.
Present during the engagement were Provincial Administrator Dr. Raul Banias, Board Member Jason Gonzales, DepEd Regional Director Cristito Eco, Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Ruby Therese Almencion, Curriculum Implementation Division Chief Dr. Nestor Pingil, Officer-in-Charge for Private Schools Dr. Dahlia Tamayo, representatives of the Schools Division Office of Iloilo, and members of the EDCORE Team.
"The Provincial Government of Iloilo remains steadfast in forging strategic partnerships with national and private education stakeholders, recognizing that improving literacy requires a united, whole-of-community approach," Fajardo added.
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