DepEd: Suspension of USAID support to affect education efforts

The Department of Education has informed the US that the suspension of US Agency for International Development funding worth $94 million or P4 billion for five of its programs "may pose challenges to the progress made in enhancing basic education access and quality."

Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara said the DepEd would "exhaust all means" to sustain the programs affected by the suspension of USAID-funded programs.

According to a press release, the DepEd is asking the USAID for the proper turnover of project materials to efficiently use project resources, exploring alternative funding sources, and strengthening the capacity of the Curriculum and Teaching Strand to integrate key project interventions into the Department’s existing systems.

DepEd has also accelerated its textbook procurement for Grades 2, 5 and 8 to ensure that textbooks reach classrooms in time for the opening of School Year 2025-2026.

“We will exhaust all means to sustain these programs, ensuring that the education of our learners is not disrupted. DepEd will maximize its existing budget, engage with existing and new partners, and absorb key components of these projects,” Angara said.

In a letter to US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson, Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara said the DepEd was looking for alternative funding to continue the programs but added he was "hoping that considerations be made regarding the impact of this suspension on ongoing projects."

"These programs align with DepEd's commitment to strengthening basic education and promoting equitable access to quality learning opportunities supported by the DepEd's 5-point reform agenda," Angara said.

"The suspension of these initiatives may delay the achievement of these goals, potentially impacting the learners, educators, and communities that benefit from them. Any disruption to these initiatives may pose challenges to the progress made in enhancing basic education access and quality," he added.

Angara said the affected projects included the following:

• Advancing Basic Education in the Philippines (ABC+) program, 
• Improving Learning Outcomes for the Philippines (ILO-PH) program, 
• Strengthening  Inclusive Education for Blind/Dear Children (Gabay) project, 
• Nationwide Tracer Study of DepEd Alternative Learning System (ALS) Junior High School Completers and Learners for School Year 2022-2023, and 
• the Second-Chance Opportunities for Out-of-School Youth (Opportunity 2.0) program

“Continued partnership and support would greatly contribute to shared goals of educational development and national progress. DepEd remains optimistic about a positive resolution that will sustain and strengthen efforts to enhance basic education in the Philippines,” Angara said.

The US State Department in late January issued a "stop-work" order for all existing foreign assistance and paused new aid after President Donald Trump ordered a pause to review if aid allocation was aligned with his foreign policy.

In early February, direct-hire personnel of the USAID were placed on administrative leave globally.

A statement on its website said USAID personnel assigned to mission-critical functions, core leadership, and specially designated programs are exempt from administrative leave.

The Philippines will seek clarification from the US on what programs will be affected after the superpower ally issued "a stop-work" order on foreign assistance.

“It’s always been an important area, I mean a form of assistance, but of course, it’s the US’s sovereign right to decide on how to undertake their programs,” Manalo said.

“We’d like to perhaps seek clarification exactly on what will be affected,” he added. –NB, GMA Integrated News