On December 1, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) distributed more than 3,200 tablet computers to Philippine Department of Education public school leadership from Regions 1 and 7. The assistance is part of USAID’s continuing support of the Philippines’ goal to strengthen early grade reading skills.

The tablets are loaded with software that will boost the quality of teaching, tools for school heads to better supervise teachers, and resources, such as videos and tip sheets, to support teachers’ professional development. The donation is the culmination of USAID’s recent training of more than 3,000 school administrators on tablet-based teacher supervision and mentoring.

USAID Mission Director Lawrence Hardy II led the turnover ceremony at Mansasa Elementary School in Tagbilaran City, Bohol. “The United States government is pleased to support the Department of Education in our mutual goal of improving the quality of education in the Philippines to help children gain the foundational literacy skills they need to succeed in life,” said Hardy.

This assistance is implemented in partnership with the Department of Education through Basa Pilipinas, USAID’s Php1.9 billion flagship basic education project. Through Basa Pilipinas, USAID has strengthened the reading skills of more than 1.8 million students from kindergarten through grade three, helped train more than 19,000 teachers and school heads, and provided more than eight million copies of teacher guides, student workbooks, and other education aids.