July 01, 2025 – The Division of Training (DepEd) and Microsoft proceed to deepen their collaboration to enhance literacy outcomes within the Philippines, leveraging synthetic intelligence (AI) instruments to empower educators and learners. This rising partnership displays a shared dedication to democratize AI for the collective good thing about the schooling ecosystem, aligning with Secretary Sonny Angara’s five-point schooling agenda.
Most just lately, on June 18, college students and lecturers gathered for “Learn and Lead: An AI-powered Literacy Day” at Ilugin Elementary College in Pasig Metropolis. The occasion featured dwell demonstrations of Studying Progress and Studying Coach, with college students from grades 4 to six collaborating in guided studying periods. Academics and schooling specialists showcased how the instruments personalize instruction and cut back administrative workload. Jessica Leaño, the college’s ICT coordinator, famous that the instruments helped ten struggling readers develop into proficient and considerably lowered the time wanted to generate literacy stories.
The occasion was attended by key representatives from DepEd and different authorities workplaces, together with Assistant Secretary Marcelino Veloso III, Assistant Secretary Carmela Oracion, and Congressman Roman Romulo, who’s the co-chair of the Second Congressional Fee on Training (EDCOM 2). All expressed robust assist for the initiative and its potential to remodel literacy outcomes nationwide.
Assistant Secretary Veloso shared, “Studying has formed my journey—from regulation and ICT to public service. Aligned with the President’s name to make digitalization a typical in our faculties, we’re exploring instruments like Studying Progress that empower each learners and educators. Our dedication is evident: scale what works, so each Filipino baby can thrive in a quickly altering world.”
Assistant Secretary Carmela Oracion, who’s spearheading the literacy initiative, emphasised the far-reaching influence of those efforts: “Literacy is the inspiration upon which all studying rests, and by harnessing AI-powered instruments, we equip our lecturers and college students with the assets they should thrive in a digital period. Our purpose is to make sure that each learner, no matter background, has the chance to develop into a assured reader and lifelong learner. Collaboration with companions like Microsoft is vital to realizing this imaginative and prescient and reworking literacy throughout the nation.”
Dad and mom in attendance expressed robust appreciation for the Studying Progress initiative, noting that it empowers their youngsters to develop into extra assured, impartial readers each in school and at house, whereas additionally permitting households to play a extra lively and supportive function of their youngsters’s literacy improvement.
In Cabanatuan, the READExcel pilot program was launched in three faculties—Macatbong Built-in College, PG Crisostomo Built-in College, and LD Renon Built-in College. The initiative aimed to enhance studying proficiency and considerably lowered the variety of college students fighting studying. Pre-test outcomes confirmed 14 college students within the struggling class, which dropped to zero after the intervention. Good points had been attributed to constant studying follow, guardian assist, and using tutorial movies. Academics and oldsters noticed elevated confidence and motivation amongst learners.
In Bais Metropolis, lecturers have been utilizing Microsoft’s Studying Progress instrument to streamline studying assessments and higher assist college students. What beforehand took two full days to evaluate now takes simply two hours—liberating up time for lesson planning and personalised assist. Greater than 14,000 learners throughout 60 faculties have benefited from the instrument, which allows college students to follow studying independently whereas giving lecturers real-time suggestions on fluency, pronunciation, and pacing. Venus Marie Catubay, an English trainer at Bais Metropolis South Central College, shared how the instrument helped her establish particular areas for intervention and monitor scholar development extra successfully.
Trying forward, the partnership goals to align Studying Progress with DepEd’s Nationwide Studying Program tied to the Philippine Casual Studying Stock (PHIL-IRI) targets. Along with business companions, DepEd and Microsoft will work to scale this system to extra faculties nationwide and strengthen trainer capability by way of digital fluency and progressive use of AI within the classroom.
“That is only the start,” stated Peter Maquera, Microsoft Philippines CEO. “By combining know-how with the fervour of Filipino educators, we will shut the literacy hole and empower each learner to succeed.”
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