International Day of Education 2024 Forum to Spotlight Business Sector’s Role in Early Grade Learning

The Business Forum, the highlight of Day 3 of the International Day of Education (IDE) 2024 Forum and Side Events is for businesses, foundations, and other private organizations with a dedicated focus on education advocacy to converge and engage in collaborative discussions on early grade learning.

Organized by the Department of Education in partnership with USAID through the ABC+ (Advancing Basic Education in the Philippines) project, the International Day of Education 2024 event, themed “Education in Transformative Times: Making Early Grade Learning Contribute to Lasting Peace” is scheduled to take place from January 24 to 26, 2024, bringing together key stakeholders from both the public and private sectors to address the pressing education gap, with a specific focus on improving learning outcomes in early grade learning (EGL).

The Business Forum is co-organized by The Asia Foundation and will be held on Friday, January 26th at the Marco Polo Hotel, Ortigas. This segment of IDE 2024 will offer a dedicated symposium for the private sector, featuring engaging panel discussions and breakout sessions. The overarching goal is to explore how businesses and other private organizations in the country can collaboratively act as a coalition to bolster the Department of Education’s intervention programs for early grade learning, particularly on reading, numeracy, socio-emotional learning, and gender equality and social inclusion.

Business sector support for the Department of Education’s Early Grade Learning (EGL) programs holds the promise of not only improving access to quality early grade education but also mitigating educational disparities. Through this collaborative approach, a more inclusive learning environment is fostered, setting the stage for the development of an educated, united, and economically stable society, particularly for Filipino children. The Business Forum attendees will have a unique opportunity to exchange best practices in EGL advocacies, draw insights from successful initiatives, and explore innovative strategies that aim to propel the advancement of early-grade learning in the Philippines.

The IDE 2024 serves as a platform to unite efforts in shaping the future of early grade learning. This collective effort will not only strengthen educational foundations but also contribute to our country’s broader societal goals of unity, economic stability, and inclusive development.