ILOILO CITY — More than 13,000 young learners across Iloilo City’s 201 Child Development Centers are being placed at the front line of a broader literacy campaign as the city government moves to strengthen reading and learning skills beginning at daycare.
Mayor Raisa Treñas said the city cannot wait until children enter formal schooling before addressing literacy gaps, stressing that reading habits and attitudes toward learning are formed during the earliest years of childhood.
“Where does learning begin? At daycare. Where do study habits and the love of reading begin? At daycare,” Treñas said.
The push is being carried out through EduGo: Read, Learn, Grow, a citywide education initiative launched Wednesday, Sept. 16, at the City Hall Penthouse in partnership with the West Visayas State University (WVSU) College of Education.
EduGo seeks to strengthen reading, comprehension, numeracy and lifelong learning while extending educational support beyond preschool children to learners with disabilities, out-of-school youth and adults.
Treñas said her experience raising her own young child reinforced her belief that children need a strong educational foundation at an early age.
“This program is very close to me because I also have a three-year-old whom I am teaching. If I, as a mother, am guiding Thea, then as the mother of the city, I should also give the same attention to the children of Iloilo City,” Treñas said.
But the mayor stressed that EduGo will not end at the daycare level. The program is designed to link different stages of education and bring together government agencies, schools, communities and the private sector to prevent learners from slipping through gaps in the education system.
“EduGo is not just a daycare program. It is a bigger education movement that connects our government agencies, schools, communities and private partners,” Treñas said.
The program has seven components covering different learning stages and needs.
These are EduGo Sugod, for early childhood development; EduGo Upod, for learners with disabilities and those requiring additional support; EduGo Basa, for reading, numeracy and comprehension; EduGo Balik, for out-of-school youth and adults seeking another opportunity for education; EduGo Level-up, for skills development; EduGo Pamilya, for family and community participation; and EduGo Tala-an, for tracking learners’ needs and progress.
The initial phase will concentrate on continuing education and training for Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) teachers, including those teaching regular learners and children with special educational needs.
Iloilo City currently operates 201 Child Development Centers with more than 13,000 enrollees for the current school year.
The city’s ECCD program consists of three packages: Edu Liit, for children below three years old who attend with a parent or guardian; Pre-Kindergarten 1, for children aged three to three years and 11 months; and Pre-Kindergarten 2, for those aged four to four years and 11 months.
Treñas said strengthening early childhood education requires more than simply supplying classrooms with learning materials. Teachers, she said, must also be equipped with the skills and institutional support necessary to recognize and respond to different learning needs.
The city government and WVSU also launched Project SABAT, or Capacitating Implementers towards Strategic Actions for Better Accessibility of TAWAG Center in Iloilo City.
An extension project of the WVSU College of Education’s Division of Special Needs Education, Project SABAT will strengthen the capacity of child development teachers to handle children with special needs and improve coordination among teachers, families, communities and other stakeholders.
Treñas said the city sees literacy and early childhood education not merely as education programs but as long-term investments in Iloilo City’s development.
“When we inspire a child to read, we are not just opening a book; we are opening a world of possibilities. When we invest in our children’s learning today, we are investing in the future of Iloilo City,” she said.
