Twelve-year-old Naima Hamsa lives in a remote community in Maguindanao—a province in the autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao in southern Philippines.
Naima used to walk for two hours every day just so she could attend school. Naima often arrived tired and hungry and had trouble concentrating in class.
'Sometimes, I didn't want go to school and would rather stay home and help my parents tend our crops,' she said.
Despite this hardship, Naima still wanted to finish school so she could fulfil her dream to be a teacher.
To help her reach this dream, Naima is now enrolled in the community distance learning program provided by the Australian Government's aid program. The distance learning program aims to reduce the dropout rate of students—especially in schools situated in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao. Students in these areas often find it hard to attend classes because the school is too far from home or because of outbreaks of conflict.
Through the distance learning program, students are able to study at home using a simplified learning program designed to suit the needs of the distance learners. Teachers trained through the program monitor students' progress from the nearest school.
Mindanao is home to most of the country's indigenous and Muslim populations, and is one of the poorest regions of the Philippines. Decades of conflict and instability has limited the capacity of the Philippines Government to provide reliable education services in Mindanao. Participation rates amongst indigenous and Muslim populations in Mindanao are very low—limiting their future job opportunities and leading to disconnection of these children from mainstream society.
Australia recognises that education is one of the best development investments to address this and is working in partnership with the Philippines Department of Education to implement education programs, like the distance education program, in Mindanao.
In the areas these programs have been operating we have seen:
'If education programs like this continue, the next generation will be carrying books and knowledge instead of weapons.'
Challenges remain, however, with human development indicators in conflict-affected regions of Mindanao worse than some of the poorest countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Australia is continuing to work with local Department of Education offices to improve education access and quality in these areas.
Australia and the Philippines recently launched the Philippines' Response to Indigenous Peoples and Muslim Education (PRIME) Program that will help more Filipino indigenous and Muslim school children have better access to a good quality education.
Australia is PRIME's inaugural donor with funding of $20 million from 2011-14. The PRIME Program will assist the Philippine Department of Education to develop learning materials, train teachers and adapt the basic education curriculum to make teaching and learning culturally sensitive and relevant to indigenous and Muslim school children.
Naima used to walk for two hours every day just so she could attend school. Naima often arrived tired and hungry and had trouble concentrating in class.
'Sometimes, I didn't want go to school and would rather stay home and help my parents tend our crops,' she said.
Despite this hardship, Naima still wanted to finish school so she could fulfil her dream to be a teacher.
To help her reach this dream, Naima is now enrolled in the community distance learning program provided by the Australian Government's aid program. The distance learning program aims to reduce the dropout rate of students—especially in schools situated in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao. Students in these areas often find it hard to attend classes because the school is too far from home or because of outbreaks of conflict.
Through the distance learning program, students are able to study at home using a simplified learning program designed to suit the needs of the distance learners. Teachers trained through the program monitor students' progress from the nearest school.
Mindanao is home to most of the country's indigenous and Muslim populations, and is one of the poorest regions of the Philippines. Decades of conflict and instability has limited the capacity of the Philippines Government to provide reliable education services in Mindanao. Participation rates amongst indigenous and Muslim populations in Mindanao are very low—limiting their future job opportunities and leading to disconnection of these children from mainstream society.
Australia recognises that education is one of the best development investments to address this and is working in partnership with the Philippines Department of Education to implement education programs, like the distance education program, in Mindanao.
In the areas these programs have been operating we have seen:
- an average 12 per cent increase in enrolment rates and a 10 per cent increase in national education achievement test scores
- school curriculums being adapted to make them more culturally appropriate for Muslim students
- the construction of learning centres in remote areas—allowing 35 000 children and adults to access education opportunities.
'If education programs like this continue, the next generation will be carrying books and knowledge instead of weapons.'
Challenges remain, however, with human development indicators in conflict-affected regions of Mindanao worse than some of the poorest countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Australia is continuing to work with local Department of Education offices to improve education access and quality in these areas.
Australia and the Philippines recently launched the Philippines' Response to Indigenous Peoples and Muslim Education (PRIME) Program that will help more Filipino indigenous and Muslim school children have better access to a good quality education.
Australia is PRIME's inaugural donor with funding of $20 million from 2011-14. The PRIME Program will assist the Philippine Department of Education to develop learning materials, train teachers and adapt the basic education curriculum to make teaching and learning culturally sensitive and relevant to indigenous and Muslim school children.
