Some 8,880 Grade 3 learners from the province of Iloilo stand to benefit from the workbooks distributed by the provincial government under the Proof of Concept (POC) initiative on the devolution of basic education in ceremonial turnover to 11 municipalities on Monday.

“We are proving to the whole country that devolving basic education can improve performance outcomes. Today, we roll out the workbooks that were funded out of the PHP5 million grant provided us by then-Senator and now Education Secretary Sonny Angara,” said Provincial Administrator Raul Banias during the turnover ceremony.

The program was piloted in the municipalities of Pavia, Mina, Batad, Guimbal, Cabatuan, Igbaras, Leganes, Lemery, Maasin, Sara, and Barotac Viejo.

Banias said that the provision of workbooks in partnership with the Synergeia, the Department of Education, the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), and the Regional Education Council-Iloilo, is one of the five pillars of the Bulig Eskwela sang Probinsya (BES Probins) program, which is investing in human capital.

The others include addressing classroom shortages, responding to the lack of teachers, career guidance, and the voter education program.

Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., in his message, said the provincial government is taking full responsibility for the education of the province even if it is not a devolved function.

He said the province is the first province to respond to the challenge of the EDCOM for the devolution of basic education to local government units.

“We will take the challenge together with you. It takes a whole province approach to make this work, and we are moving fast. For us, the challenges we are facing in the education sector is a matter of national emergency,” he said.

Banias said that except for some towns, many Grade 3 learners in the province are still not able to read and comprehend efficiently.

He added that parallel to the POV, the province is also piloting the Bulig Eskwela (BES) Basa (read) initiative in six municipalities.

In his response, learner Peter Adrian Raymundo from the Leganes Central Elementary School in the municipality of Leganes said the workbooks inspire them to love reading and learning more.

“May you reach out to more schools and help more. May Jesus return these blessings to you a hundred-fold,” he said. (PNA)