QUEZON CITY, February 19, 2020 – The Department of Education (DepEd) signed a new Memorandum of Agreement with Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. (KCFI) on Tuesday to further efforts on improving the quality of education in the Philippines.

Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones considered the timing of the new partnership with KCFI appropriate as DepEd is dedicated to engage and collaborate with more stakeholders in its pivot from access to quality education through the Sulong EduKalidad program.

“We in the education sector need all the help we can get and we always welcome advice from our stakeholders. It is always good to have this continuous exchange of knowledge and assistance,” Secretary Briones said.

Among the programs featured in the new agreement were:
• Basa Bilang – a program that develops reading and math skills of Kindergarten to Grade 3 learners through curriculum-based videos
• Program for Inclusive and Innovative Master Educators (PRIME) – A 10- to 12-month certificate course for teachers teaching in the primary grades (K-3) in challenged context
• Learning Effectively through Enhanced and Evidenced-Based Pedagogies (LEEP) – A three-day workshop for teachers and principals on the 21st century skills and teaching strategies
• Video Donation for Senior High Schools and Schools in Calamity and Conflict Areas – Knowledge Channel educational videos will be donated to DepEd’s 5000 senior high schools and 1000 public schools in calamity and conflict areas
• EduKalidad sa Kalamidad – An alternative learning intervention that aims to provide KnowledgeTV, conduct psychological first aid workshops, and train teachers in teaching with Knowledge Channel educational videos during emergencies.

“We don’t have a monopoly of education for learners because we are aware that learners learn a lot of things outside DepEd’s sphere of influence, outside the classroom, outside the standard textbooks. The more we help each other, the better the outlook we can impart to our learners,” the DepEd chief noted.

DepEd and KCFI have entered into similar agreements since 1999, benefiting more than 5 million learners in over 8000 public schools and alternative learning system (ALS) centers nationwide.

“We are eager, excited and hopeful to reach more, teach more and help DepEd improve learning outcomes among our children especially in reading comprehension and mathematics,” KCFI President Rina Lopez Bautista said.

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