Angara vows to improve students’ IT skills, digital literacy

MANILA, Philippines — Education Secretary Sonny Angara has vowed to improve the information and technology or IT skills and digital literacy of Filipino students to make them more “adaptable” when they enter the workforce.

Speaking during the 4th Philippine-Singapore Business and Investment Summit (PSBIS) held in Singapore on Thursday, Angara said it is the shared vision of the Department of Education and President Marcos to enhance the quality of education in the Philippines “by integrating technology and digital literacy into the curriculum.”

“Our biggest asset is our people. Under President Marcos Jr.’s leadership, we are envisioning a more creative and innovative Filipino learner, which will be a significant boost to the industry,” Angara said.

He added that the President has signed new laws and policies “that would really entice investors.”

Angara said the country aspires to learn from Singapore, particularly its success in teaching coding at a young age.

“We are working to incorporate coding into our curriculum and are utilizing educational technology, such as analytics, to assess learners in real time. This will allow teachers to focus more on teaching and less on administrative tasks, ultimately improving the quality of education,” he said.

Meanwhile, Angara said the Philippines has always been a key player in the global workforce, noting that the country produces over a million graduates each year from basic and tertiary education systems.

“There’s a leap of faith involved in investing in the Philippines but there’s also a lot of pleasant surprises. I think one of the pleasant surprises is that the Filipino worker is immensely adaptable and a quick learner, so I think that’s something we could all benefit from,” Angara said.

The PSBIS served as a platform for high-level discussions on sustainable growth with the aim of strengthening further the partnership between the Philippines and Singapore.

The event marked the 55th anniversary of bilateral relations between the two countries, focusing on “opportunities for collaboration in education, technology and workforce development.”