The Philippines Aims To Meet Universal Kindergarten Goal With P2.4B Fund

The Philippine Department of Budget and Management announced today a Ph2.39 billion budget for 2012 to support the newly passed Kindergarten Education Act.

AsianScientist (Mar. 1, 2012) – The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced today a Ph2.39 billion budget to support the newly passed Kindergarten Education Act, also known as the Republic Act 10157.

The Ph2.39 billion (US$55.9 million) fund, set aside under the 2012 General Appropriations Act (GAA), was released in time for the 2012-2013 school year, said the DBM press statement.

“With the Kindergarten Education Act now in place, we can give more Filipino children a stronger foundation for scholastic excellence and achievement,” Budget and Management Secretary Florencio B. Abad said.

“Of course, the law will require funding for its efficient implementation, and the Aquino government has addressed this need by releasing funds that were earmarked to support the law,” Abad added.

The 2012 budget is higher than last year’s Ph2.34 billion budget for kindergarten education, Abad noted.

Under the Kindergarten Education Act, Filipino children from five-years-old and above will be required to undergo and pass kindergarten before moving up to Grade 1.

When implemented in all public schools, this law will help the Philippines meet its Millennium Development Goals, said the DBM report.

“The President is determined to meet the Millennium Development Goals, particularly with respect to providing quality education for all by 2015,” said Abad.

“The passage of the universal kindergarten law only strengthens our platform for poverty reduction and sustained socio-economic growth, and we are looking forward to introducing more innovations in the way we educate our youth,” Abad said.

In line with government efforts to ramp up public educational services across the country, the Department of Education (DepEd) has received 31.7 percent (Ph575.8 billion) of this year’s GAA budget, which is a 15.2 percent jump from last year.

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Source: Philippine Department of Budget and Management; Photo: Deborah Campos/World Bank.
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