(11 March 2016) For the past three years, the Philippines education system has been immersed in a transition from English and Filipino to mother-tongue language of instruction for grades 1 to 3. In a country with more than 100 languages, this is a formidable challenge, but one that is critical to confront. Research has repeatedly shown that children learn to read best when taught in the language they’re using at home.
In this new educational environment, kids need every resource available to help them learn to read. Can the public library system can play a useful role in this environment? With more than 1,300 libraries around the country, is there an opportunity to make use of these community institutions to provide extra support in reading to children and parents alike? To begin answering these questions, on 4 March 2016 representatives from the Department of Education, NGOs, the National Library of the Philippines, and public libraries met at the Tondo Congressional Library in Manila for a discussion of where libraries might fit in the picture of meeting the early-grade reading challenge.
Participants highlighted three major issues: access to materials, creation of materials and community engagement.
BeyondAccess has all the details.
