The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Systems Strengthening Review set out to understand how a portfolio of 20 USAID-funded Activities to improve learning outcomes for students, implemented over the past decade across 11 countries in Asia, have helped to strengthen education systems in their respective countries. Specifically, the review sought to answer four key research questions: • What did the Activities set out to do? • What have the Activities accomplished? • What were the conditions for success? • What are the main learnings for future USAID Activities? To conceptualize and categorize the different facets of “systems strengthening” consistently, the review team created an Analysis Framework, which defines a strong system as one that is capable of 1. setting clear goals and reform strategies to achieve them; 2. driving delivery of these goals by effectively using data, routines, and the power of relationships; and 3. creating an improvement culture by building capacity, using education technology, and promoting equity and inclusion. The review gathered evidence from three key data sources: a desk review, an online survey, and 37 key informant interviews. These sources were supplemented by deep-dive case studies for selected Activities in three countries (Cambodia, Nepal, and the Philippines).

This report presents the research findings undertaken in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. This report forms part of a broader study that explores the system and school-level practices that have supported learning continuity in Asia during the pandemic. The study will focus on the policymaker practices that supported teaching and learning and consider ways school leaders, teachers, and parents have worked to support children during periods of disruption. Rather than comparing the responses of Asia countries, this study will highlight innovations in the system and school policies and programs in the Philippines and make recommendations based on insights from the Philippines’ education system. The study will focus on the school system and participants that support students in the Philippines but will not include students themselves.

This document provides a summary of research exploring the systems, policies, and school-level practices that have supported learning continuity in Asia during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a review of policy documents on COVID-19 responses in Asia and a deep dive analysis of system and school-level responses in the Philippines and the Kyrgyz Republic, the findings from this study provide policymakers and education stakeholders with evidence of promising practices that could be leveraged to support learning recovery and education system resilience. In addition, a policy review was conducted on the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), which focused on the practices of policymakers that have the potential to support teaching and learning. The study's intent is not to compare and contrast countries' responses but to highlight innovations in the system and school practices and make recommendations based on insights from system leaders and educators.

The research on first language learning is the premise for the Philippines Mother-Tongue-based Multi-Lingual Education (MTB-MLE) Policy which requires schools to deliver the Kindergarten to Grade 3 curriculum in the mother tongue (home language) of the school’s community (Corder, 1983; Walter & Dekker, 2011. Salmona, 2014; Yadav, 2014). Considering that the national curriculum requires children to transition to and learn in Filipino and English at the start of Grade 4, the question of mother tongue’s effect on second and third language acquisition is not academic, but central to the policy debate on MTB-MLE efficacy. The MTB-MLE policy consists of five discrete areas: curriculum, learning resources, assessment, teacher recruitment and training, and community support. MTB-MLE has proven challenging with respect to the myriad languages and dialects. Out of the 180 plus languages spoken, only 19 have been formally supported with an official orthography, standard learning resources and teacher professional development materials. In communities with non-supported languages, teachers contextualize the teaching and learning materials, often translating and adapting from the linguistically nearest mother tongue to their own. In a 2019 study on MTB-MLE, the Philippines Institute of Development Studies found inconsistent implementation across schools, including teachers’ negative attitudes toward MTB-MLE, linguistic diversity of learners and classrooms, and lack of teaching and learning materials being key factors hindering its implementation (PIDS, 2019). The Bicol Region poses a particular challenge. In an area slightly larger than Connecticut with a population of just under 4 million, thirteen different languages plus numerous dialects are spoken in the various provinces, cities and towns that dot this volcanic region (Lobel, 2019). The standard language of Central Bikol, which is the mother tongue of approximately half the population consists of six different local dialects depending on the locale. Wedged in the middle of the Central Bikol-speaking area is a cluster of five distinct languages: Rinconada, Buhi-non, Bikol Libon, West Albay Bikol, and Miraya, with only one or two municipal communities each that speak these languages. Under the USAID Advancing Basic Education in the Philippines (ABC+), RTI conducted a longitudinal study that provides new evidence on the efficacy of MTB-MLE. The study tracked the language and literacy acquisition of four groups of learners: those Central Bikol learners who are learning in a fully supported language; Buhi-non speaking learners who are learning in an unsupported language (ie, Buhi-non); Central Bikol speakers who’s language of instruction is Tagalog and Tagalog learners who’s language of instruction is Tagalog. The findings show evidence that the Central Bikol learners whose LOI is Tagalog are performing at par or worse in nearly all domains of reading in their first (Central Bikol), second (Tagalog/Filipino) and third languages (English). The findings show a flattening of their trajectory in terms of the pace of language and literacy acquisition, as well as significant equity gaps in comparison to their Tagalog peers. The evidence points toward continued support to MTB-MLE, despite the challenges in implementation.

The USAID Leading Through Learning Global Platform (LTLGP) and USAID Improving Learning Outcomes for Asia (ILOA) presented a panel at the 2024 CIES Conference on what each project has been learning about establishing and implementing learning networks. Presentations from three USAID learning networks (HELN, GRN, ECCN) and one regional hub managed by LTLGP along with a presentation from ILOA discuss how each learning network utilizes collaboration, learning, and adapting (CLA) to assess how well their networks are reaching and meeting the needs of their members and how they have adapted and adjusted their networks based on CLA fedback.

Title: Philippine local governments using local solutions to tackle literacy and numeracy through the Education Sector Mechanism Presenter: Mayor Krisel Lagman of Tabaco City Launched under USAID funded Advancing Basic Education (ABC+) in the Philippines, the Education Sector Mechanism (ESM) brings stakeholders (private sector, government units, teachers, school leadership, parents and community) together at the local level to assess the education landscape using data and evidence. This process is led by local governments, but includes all stakeholders and aims to identify key issues and their underlying causes, agree on effective strategies to tackle these challenges, and translate the solutions into well-defined programs, projects, and activities. This process puts local leadership and ownership at the forefront of problem solving based on data, investment programming and results-based monitoring and evaluation. The local governments of Victorias City and Tabaco City in the Philippines lead the way in utilizing ESM, bringing private sector, local government units, and community together to look at education issues. This presentation will discuss the ESM process based on their experience and the results they are seeing, highlighting locally led and locally funded solutions and commitments.

Education being recognized as a fundamental right plays a vital role in fostering inclusive societies and ensuring fair access to quality education. In this panel, we will explore the significance of education protests concerning pedagogy, curriculum, and theories. The Philippines Department of Education (DepEd), with support form USAIDs project Advancing Basic education in the Philippines (ABC+), has taken innovative steps to improve learning outcomes and reach marginalized communicates beyond traditional methods. The 2018 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) revealed that Filipino 15-year-old students scored low in reading comprehension and ranked near the bottom in math and science among 79 countries. This raised concern about curriculum, teaching practice, the learning environments of Philippines schools, and in general the quality of education in the Philippines. It is important to note that over 90% of the students in the Philippines reported speaking a language at home different from the language used in instruction and the PISA test (English). Such language disparity significantly impacts PISA scores, and the Philippines’ linguistic diversity adds to the complexity. The Philippines is among the most linguistically diverse countries in the world. It is one of 44 nations where no single language group exceeds 50% of the total population. Estimates of the number of native Philippine languages range from 110 to 185. The adoption of Mother Tongue Based-Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) in 2009 recognized this diversity, explicitly emphasized the socio-cultural value of children learning in their maternal languages and put a focus on the importance of language to expanding access to education and improving learning outcomes. This panel aims to highlight innovative initiatives and strategies specific to the Philippines, promoting inclusivity, challenging norms, and reaching marginalized communities in education. It emphasizes the importance of utilizing data to advocate for Early Grade Learning (EGL) and exploring alternative investment pathways beyond traditional sources. DepEd representatives will kick off the panel presentations, focusing on Learning Recovery and providing examples of effective approaches. The second presentation will center on language mapping its relevance to the language of instruction and instructional materials used in education. The third presentation follows with a focus on the language of materials used for learning. Through research findings, case studies, and practical insights tailored to the Philippine context, this proposal aims to contribute to the discussions on education as a right, inclusivity, and reaching marginalized communities at the Comparative and International Education Society Conference 2024. The outcomes will inform policy and practice, enabling the development of impactful strategies to ensure equitable access to quality education for all in the Philippines.

The challenges of conducting educational assessments in low- and middle-income environments during the pandemic can be eased by AI-powered speech recognition technology that offers a promising solution to enhance assessments. By utilizing advanced algorithms and machine learning techniques, this technology accurately transcribes spoken language into written text. Reading fluency and comprehension can be efficiently measured by integrating AI speech recognition into assessments, without the need for physical presence. From the safety of their homes, students can perform the assessments using their smartphones or computers, assisting schools in organizing complex logistics. AI speech recognition technology has a great edge in providing instant feedback, which is one of its main benefits. While students are speaking out loud, the AI system can swiftly assess their intonation, pronunciation, and tempo, rendering quick guidance and identifying areas for refinement. This personalized feedback effortlessly assists students in boosting their reading abilities, even in the absence of in-person teacher interactions. Moreover, AI-backed evaluations can be carried out on a wider scale, enabling educators to collect extensive data on reading patterns and tackle specific issues that are commonly seen among students. The objective of this presentation is to feature the self-administered AI Speech recognition Computer-based reading assessment that RTI developed at the request of the Philippines Department of Education (DepEd), under the USAID All Children Reading (ACR). Throughout the school years of 2020-2022, the COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges to conducting face-to-face assessments, particularly in remote learning environments. As a result, teachers faced constraints in terms of time and resources to individually assess learners' reading skills against crucial learning competencies. The proposed automated assessment technology offered a potential solution to alleviate this burden and streamline the evaluation process, allowing educators to efficiently gauge students' reading abilities remotely. In February 2022, ACR-Philippines initiated discussions with USAID and the Philippines Department of Education (DepEd) to produce a ‘proof of concept’ that explores the feasibility of a self-administered computer-based reading assessment (CoBRA) in English and Filipino for students in the Philippines. The concept found resonance with the DepEd leadership as the adoption of a computer-based format for assessments aligns with international practices and provides an excellent opportunity to ascertain students' preparedness to take computer-based tests, such as the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). The result of this intervention generated a prototype solution piloted and tailored to fit DepED's existing platforms for supporting remote learning and delivery. The pilot provided insights on the feasibility of a computer-based assessment in the context of the Philippines for students in grades 4 -6. The research findings examined the performance, reliability, and results of the AI Speech recognition technology reading assessment, compared to the assessor-administered approach of the assessment. The research generated key design considerations, feedback from end users, recommendations regarding implementing similar approaches, and the future development of similar technology for other languages within and outside the Philippines.

We are indeed dealing with a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environment. The Philippines suffers natural and man-made vulnerabilities such as typhoons that occur throughout the year, earthquakes, and more recently, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. These challenges necessitated the establishment of the Education Futures Program. While the Philippines Basic Education Continuity Plan in response to the pandemic, DepEd recognized at that time the urgent need to “future proof” education. Nationwide education in futures thinking and foresight planning was needed to address the future learning needs of all children and building education resilience in times of crisis. This presentation provides an overview of the "Co-creating Learning Spaces for Improved Early Language Literacy and Numeracy in the Philippines" activity, under the USAID funded All Children Reading (ACR) - Philippines. Following a brief introduction to futures thinking and foresight planning, this presentation describes how school-level teams in the Philippines developed prototypes of learning spaces for the future that addressed anticipated needs of learners. We present the prototyping process centered on human centered design thinking, the way that school teams collected feedback on their innovations from teachers in the region, parents, and learners themselves, and a snapshot of the prototypes developed, and the benefit of the prototyping process to school teams and the relative success they had in realizing their future learning spaces innovations after two years.

This presentation features the instructional design of a blended learning online course on formative assessment developed at the request of the Philippine Department of Education (DepEd), under the USAID/Philippines All Children Reading task order. In 2020, DepEd, through the National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP), issued a policy aimed at strengthening the quality of TPD. The policy calls for several transformations, including the use of a wider range of learning modalities, such as job-based learning and teacher communities of practice; the adoption of a wider range of delivery platforms, such as online and blended learning; and the immediate application of TPD lessons in classrooms. The adoption of the policy has been slow and there are few exemplars of approved courses that meet these requirements. The challenge was to design a learning experience for teachers that not only exemplified these requirements but was also flexible enough to adapt to the myriad school contexts in the Philippines and was ready to be taken to scale by regional DepEd offices―without donor support―before the closeout of USAID funding for this activity.